NEW  YORK  MONUMENTS  COMMISSION 

FOR  THE 


BATTLEFIELDS  OF  GETTYSBURG  AND  CHATTANOOGA. 


ON  THE 


BATTLEFIELD  OF  GETTYSBURG. 


COMMISSIONERS. 

MAJ.-GF.N.  DANIEL  E.  SICKT.F.S,  U.  S.  A.     MAJ.-GKN.  DANIEL  TVT.TF,RFTF.T,D. 

Bvr.  MAJ.-GEN.  ALKX.  S.  Wicr.u.  BVT.  BRIG.-GEN.  ANSON  G.  McCooK. 

COL.  LEWIS  R.  RTEGMAN.  Cor,.  CLINTON  BECKWITH. 

MAJOR  CHARLES  A.  RICHARDSON.  THE  ADJUTANT-GENERAL  OF  THE  STATE,  Ex-OFFicio. 

CHAIRMAN,  MAJ.-GEN.  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES,  U.  S.  A. 

ENGINEER  AND  SECY.,  A.  J.  ZABRISKIE. 


VOL.  I. 


ALBANY: 
J.  B.  LYON  COMPANY,  PRINTERS. 

IQ02. 


i —   i   r 

•53 

M5 
v.  i 


To  his  Excellency,  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York  : 

SIR  : —  Pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  chapter  932,  Laws  of  1895, 
the  New  York  Monuments  Commission  for  the  Battlefields  of  Gettys 
burg  and  Chattanooga  has  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  its 
final  report  on  that  part  of  the  work  relating  to  the  Battlefield  of 

Gettysburg. 

Yours  obediently, 

DANIEL  E.  SICKLES, 

Chairman. 

New  York,  Dec.  i,  1899 


AUTHORIZATION. 


CHAP.  466,  LAWS  OF  1886. 

AN  ACT  to  provide  for  designating  the  positions  and  movements  of  the  troops 
of  the  State  of  New  York  on  the  battlefield  of  Gettysburg. 

Section  i.  Daniel  E.  Sickles,  Henry  W.  Slocum,  Joseph  B.  Carr,  Charles  A. 
Richardson,  and  the  adjutant-general  of  this  State  are  hereby  appointed  com 
missioners  for  the  State  of  New  York  to  determine  the  positions  and  move 
ments,  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  of  the  several  military  organizations  of  this 
State  that  took  part  in  that  battle,  and  to  do  such  other  acts  relating  thereto- 
as  may  be  hereafter  required. 

§  2.  Said  commissioners  shall  determine  such  positions  and  movements  by 
means  of  such  records,  reports,  maps  and  surveys  as  may  be  had,  and  by  such 
other  aids  and  means  as  they  may  judge  necessary  therefor;  and  they  shall 
report  their  proceedings  to  the  legislature  at  its  next  session,  with  such  recom 
mendations  as  they  shall  judge  proper  to  secure  the  permanent  marking  of 
the  movements  and  positions  of  such  troops. 

§  3.  The  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars,  or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be  neces 
sary,  is  hereby  appropriated  out  of  any  money  in  the  treasury,  not  otherwise 
appropriated,  to  defray  the  expenses  of  said  commissioners  in  carrying  out 
the  provisions  of  this  act. 

§  4.  In  case  of  the  resignation,  refusal  to  serve,  death  or  inability  of  either 
of  said  commissioners  to  perform  the  duties  required,  the  Governor  shall  fill 
the  vacancy  by  appointment. 


CHAP.  932,  LAWS  OF  1895. 

*  For  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  final  report  of  the  commis 
sioners  appointed  by  and  pursuant  to  chapter  four  hundred  and  sixty-six,  Laws 
of  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty-six,  of  their  proceedings  under  said 
act,  and  all  acts  supplementary  thereto,  the  sum  of  six  thousand  dollars,  which 
report  shall  contain  a  representation  of  each  monument  erected  by  them,  with 
a  statement  of  its  location  and  cost,  and  the  dedication  ceremonies,  and  also 
a  brief  history  of  each  New  York  regiment  and  battery  that  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg  as  authenticated  by  official  reports  and  records.  *  *  * 

2 


NEW  YORK 


AT 


GETTYSBURG 


BY 


WILLIAM  F.  FOX,  Lieut.-Col.  loyth  N.  Y.  Vols. 

3 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


The  following  chronicle  of  events  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  is  inserted  here 
as  introductory  to  the  main  body  of  the  report.  Something  of  the  kind  seemed 
necessary  in  recounting  the  services  of  the  New  York  troops  on  that  historic 
field,  to  show  not  only  their  participation  in  the  fighting,  but,  also,  the  relation 
which  their  action  bore  to  other  and  more  general  events  as  to  time,  order,  and 
place.  The  movements  of  each  New  York  regiment  and  battery  during  the  bat 
tle  are  fully  described  elsewhere  in  the  historical  sketches  and  addresses  pub 
lished  in  this  report;  but  the  bearing  which  their  action  had  on  other  movements 
can  be  explained  only  in  some  connected  narrative  reciting  the  entire  story  of 
the  battle,  and  in  which  the  services  of  each  command  is  told  in  its  due 
connection. 

Another  history  of  Gettysburg  may  seem  superfluous  and  presumptions. 
But  there  were  New  York  regiments  and  batteries  in  every  corps,  in  every 
division  except  one,  and  in  forty-six  brigades  of  the  Union  army.  They  fought 
and  fell  on  every  portion  of  the  field. 

Any  fair  statement  of  their  participation  in  the  general  action  involves  a  story 
of  the  entire  battle.  At  the  request  of  the  Board,  the  author,  who  had  already 
undertaken  the  work  of  editing  the  final  report,  reluctantly  assumed  this  addi 
tional  task. 

This  history  of  the  battle  —  if  it  may  be  called  a  history  —  does  not  purport 
to  be  the  story  of  an  eye-witness,  but  is  based  on  the  official  reports  made  at  the 
time,  together  with  some  other  authentic  accounts  which  have  passed  unchal 
lenged  during  the  many  years  that  have  elapsed. 

But  the  official  reports  are  not  infallible.  They  are  somewhat  conflicting  at 
times,  and  on  each  side  there  is  a  noticeable  tendency  to  make  scant  mention  of 
any  misfortune  or  reverse  that  may  have  occurred ;  and,  although  a  full  record 
of  such  event  may  be  found  in  the  report  of  the  other  side,  it  is  apt  to  be  accom 
panied  by  exaggerations  that  make  it  worthless  for  historical  purposes.  This 
is  especially  the  case  in  statements  as  to  losses  inflicted  on  an  enemy  or  the 
number  of  prisoners  captured.  With  a  hope  of  reconciling  discrepancies,  and 
obtaining  information  where  it  was  needed,  the  author  has  read  carefully  all  of 
the  voluminous  literature,  written  on  both  sides,  relating  to  the  battle  and  its 
accompanying  campaigns. 

Considerable  difficulty  was  experienced  in  determining  the  order  in  which 
events  occurred ;  for  the  reports  show  a  surprising  variation  in  this  respect. 
Some  officers  differ  three  hours  or  more  in  their  statements  as  to  when  certain 
incidents  happened, —  when  troops  arrived  on  the  ground,  the  hour  when  they 
went  into  action,  or,  when  some  position  was  carried  or  abandoned.  But  by 
harmonizing  so  far  as  practicable  the  contradictory  statements,  and  retaining 
all  that  agreed,  a  schedule  was  finally  evolved  by  which  the  various  movements 
were  accounted  for,  as  to  time  and  succession,  without  inconsistencies  or  con- 


5  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

tradictions.  Fortunately,  in  some  of  the  reports  the  officer,  instead  of  using 
the  word  "  about "  in  stating  when  the  event  took  place,  gives  both  the  hour 
and  the  minute  with  exactness,  which  shows  that  he  looked  at  his  watch  and 
noted  it  precisely.  Such  statements  were  accepted  in  preference  to  others. 
Reference  is  made  to  this  matter  here,  because  the  various  movements  during 
the  battle  cannot  be  understood  until  the  exact  order  in  which  the  events 
occurred  is  definitely  determined. 

In  the  course  of  his  work  the  author  has  made  frequent  and  protracted  visits 
to  the  battlefield,  where  all  the  various  movements,  together  with  the  official 
reports,  have  been  carefully  studied  on  the  ground,  a  task  which  became  difficult 
at  times  owing  to  the  erroneous  location  of  regimental  monuments  and  inaccu 
rate  inscriptions.  It  has  been  his  good  fortune,  also,  to  meet  on  the  field, 
from  year  to  year,  participants  in  the  battle  from  each  army,  men  whose  rank 
and  connection  with  important  events  on  the  field  enabled  them  to  explain 
clearly  much  that  hitherto  was  doubtful  or  misunderstood.  Through  the 
liberality  of  the  Board  of  New  York  Commissioners,  substantial  assistance  was 
rendered  by  furnishing  everything  available  in  the  way  of  maps,  histories,  official 
documents,  and  transcripts  from  the  records  of  the  War  Departments  at  Wash 
ington  and  Albany. 

It  may  seem  to  some  that  the  following  narrative  contains  matter  that  does 
not  necessarily  pertain  to  the  story  of  New  York  at  Gettysburg.  But  when  a 
State  furnishes  nearly  one-third  of  an  army,  some  discussion  of  the  total  strength 
becomes  necessary  to  establish  the  proportion  of  troops  thus  furnished.  When 
almost  one-third  of  the  killed  are  from  that  State,  this  heroic  record  will  be 
better  appreciated  after  an  examination  of  the  entire  casualty  lists.  And  when 
one-third  or  more  of  the  corps,  division,  and  brigade  generals  are  froni  one 
State,  their  participation,  responsibility,  and  achievements  can  be  fully  under 
stood  and  recognized  only  when  the  story  is  told  in  full,  together  with  its  legiti 
mate  deductions  and  conclusions. 

There  is  an  unwritten  law  of  literature  that  contemporaneous  history  must 
not  be  accepted  as  conclusive.  Recognizing  the  justice  of  this  decree  the  story 
has  been  conscientiously  told,  with  no  thought  or  care  for  the  approbation  of 
the  present,  but  with  a  hope  that  the  historian  of  the  future  may  find  something 
in  its  Dages  that  will  lighten  his  labors,  and  receive  the  indorsement  of  his  pen. 

W.  F.  F. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


This  is  the  story  of  New  York  at  Gettysburg  ;  it  is  the  story  of  what  the  men 
of  New  York  did  there.  If,  in  the  telling,  there  is  little  mention  of  other  regi 
ments,  it  is  because  such  mention  is  outside  the  province  of  this  narrative. 
Their  gallant  deeds  will  be  better  told  by  their  own  historians. 

Of  the  many  States  represented  on  this  historic  field,  the  Empire  State,  in 
proud  fulfillment  of  its  duty,  furnished  the  most  men  and  filled  the  most  graves. 
More  than  one-fourth  of  the  Union  army  marched  there  under  the  flags  of  the 
State  of  New  York  ;  more  than  one-fourth  of  those  who  fell  there  followed  those 
colors  to  their  graves. 

The  battle  of  Gettysburg  has  long  been  a  fruitful  theme  in  history.  There 
yet  remains  the  epic  story  of  each  State  whose  gallant  sons  fought  on  that  field, 
not  only  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  Nation,  but  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  their 
Commonwealth. 

THE  FIRST  DAY, 

WEDNESDAY,  JULY  i,  1863. 

On  June  3Oth  the  armies  of  Meade  and  Lee,  each  unaware  of  the  other's 
movements,  were  moving  towards  Gettysburg.  The  Northern  army  was  ap 
proaching  from  the  South ;  the  Southern  army,  from  the  North. 

The  collision  at  Gettysburg  was  unexpected.  Lee  had  no  cavalry  in  front  of 
his  leading  division.  Part  of  his  mounted  troops  were  absent  on  a  raid ;  and 
part  had  been  assigned  to  other  portions  of  his  army.  Cavalry  squads  are  the 
antennae  of  an  army.  Scattered  along  the  line  of  advance,  they  are  the  feelers 
through  which  the  body  of  the  army  perceives  obstacles. 

About  10  o'clock,  on  the  day  before  the  battle,  some  Confederate  infantry  — 
Pettigrew's  Brigade  of  Heth's  Division  —  made  their  appearance  near  the 
Lutheran  Theological  Seminary  in  the  western  suburbs  of  the  town  and  halted, 
their  pickets  advancing  close  to  the  residences  along  the  outskirts.  This 
brigade  had  been  ordered  to  Gettysburg  with  instructions  to  search  the  town 
for  army  supplies,  shoes  especially,  and  return  the  same  day.  These  troops  did 
not  enter  the  place,  the  officers  contenting  themselves  with  examining  it  through 
field  glasses  and  conversing  with  such  citizens  as  they  could  find.  Learning 
that  the  advance  guard  of  Meade's  army  was  approaching,  they  withdrew 
towards  Cashtown,  leaving  their  pickets  about  four  miles  from  Gettysburg. 

At  II  a.  m.,  two  brigades  of  Buford's  Division  of  Union  cavalry  entered  the 
town.  The  citizens,  already  in  a  state  of  excitement  and  terror  over  the  great 
invasion,  gazed  with  interest  and  satisfaction  as  the  long  column  of  veteran 
troopers,  with  trampling  horses  and  fluttering  guidons,  moved  through  their 


8  i\Ew  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

streets.  It  was  the  opening  scene  in  the  grand  pageant  which  was  to  make 
the  name  of  Gettysburg  known  throughout  the  world. 

Buford's  column  had  left  Emmitsburg  that  morning.  Passing  through  the 
town  it  moved  out  upon  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  or  Cashtown  Road  as  some 
times  called,  and  halted  there.  Buford  brought  with  him  two  brigades,  Gam 
ble's  and  Devin's,  leaving  the  reserve  brigade,  Merritt's,  at  Mechanicsburg 
to  guard  his  trains.  Scouting  parties  were  immediately  sent  out  in  various 
directions,  and  the  information  thus  obtained  throughout  the  night  apprised 
Buford  of  the  proximity  of  the  enemy  and  the  rapid  convergence  of  their 
hostile  columns  on  Gettysburg.  Knowing  that  General  Reynolds,  who  was 
in  command  of  the  left  wing  of  the  Union  army,  was  in  supporting  distance 
with  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps,  he  decided  to  resist  the  Confederate 
advance. 

On  the  eve  of  the  approaching  battle  it  will  be  instructive  to  note  the  posi 
tion  of  the  two  armies.  Neither  has  been  moving  with  closely  connected  col 
umns.  In  each,  the  various  corps  or  divisions  are  widely  separated,  and  a 
concentration  is  yet  to  be  effected.  Lee's  army  is  under  orders  to  concentrate 
at  Gettysburg.  Meade  has  directed  two  of  his  corps  to  go  there  also  as  a  cov 
ering  movement,  but  follows  up  his  instructions  the  next  morning  with  orders 
for  a  concentration  on  the  line  of  Pipe  Creek,  fourteen  miles  south  of  Gettys 
burg,  in  case  the  enemy  assumes  the  offensive. 

On  the  evening  of  June  3Oth,  the  day  before  the  battle  opens,  the  three  corps 
composing  the  Confederate  Army  are  many  miles  apart.  The  First  Corps,  under 
General  Longstreet,  is  resting  at  Chambersburg,  where  General  Lee  has  his 
headquarters,  twenty-four  miles  west  of  Gettysburg.  The  Second  Corps,  Gen 
eral  Ewell,  returning  from  its  advance  on  Carlisle,  York,  and  the  Susquehanna, 
is  halted  for  the  night  near  Heidlersburg,  eleven  miles  north  of  Gettysburg,  with 
one  division,  Johnson's,  at  Fayetteville,  twenty-one  miles  west  of  Gettysburg. 
The  Third  Corps,  General  A.  P.  Hill,  is  extended  along  the  Chambersburg  Pike, 
with  Heth's  and  Fender's  divisions  near  Cashtown,  seven  miles  west  of  Gettys 
burg,  and  Anderson's  Division  at  Fayetteville.  Lee's  right  and  left  wings  are 
twenty-eight  miles  apart.  His  cavalry  is  still  more  widely  scattered.  Three 
brigades,  under  General  Stuart,  have  been  absent  on  a  raid,  and  are  now  making 
a  wide  detour  around  the  right  of  the  Union  Army  in  order  to  rejoin  Lee;  three 
other  brigades  have  been  left  near  the  Potomac  to  guard  the  rear;  and  the 
remaining  brigade  —  Jenkins'  —  is  with  Ewell's  Corps.  There  is  no  cavalry 
with  Hill's  column,  the  one  which  has  the  advance  on  Gettysburg. 

The  seven  corps  of  the  Union  Army  also  occupied  positions  covering  a  wide 
extent  of  territory.  The  First  Corps,  under  General  Reynolds,  bivouacked 
along  the  road,  leading  from  Emmitsburg,  Md.,  to  Gettysburg,  with  its  advance 
division  at  Marsh  Creek,  five  miles  from  the  battlefield,  and  with  one  division  at 
Emmitsburg.  The  Eleventh  Corps,  General  Howard,  -was  at  Emmitsburg, 
ten  miles  south  of  Gettysburg.  The  Third  Corps,  General  Sickles,  lay  at 
Bridgeport,  on  the  road  from  Taneytown  to  Emmitsburg.  The  Fifth,  Gen 
eral  Sykes,  was  at  Union  Mills,  Md.,  seventeen  miles  southeast  of  Gettys 
burg.  The  Twelfth,  General  Slocum,  bivouacked  near  Littlestown,  Penn., 
eleven  miles  southeast  of  Gettysburg.  The  Sixth  Corps,  General  Sedgwick, 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  9 

occupied  Manchester,  thirty  miles  southeast  of  the  battlefield.  The  Second, 
General  Hancock,  was  resting  at  Uniontown,  Md.,  sixteen  miles  south  of 
Gettysburg.  The  cavalry,  General  Pleasanton,  was  covering  the  right  and 
rear  of  the  army,  with  two  brigades  of  Buford's  Division,  already  at  Gettys 
burg.  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  division  was  at  Hanover,  Penn.,  fourteen  miles 
east  of  Gettysburg,  where  it  had  encountered,  earlier  in  the  day,  a  part  of 
Stuart's  cavalry. 

The  right  wing  of  the  Union  Army  was  at  Manchester ;  the  left  wing  was  at 
Emmitsburg,  over  thirty  miles  distant.  General  Meade's  headquarters  were 
at  Taneytown,  ten  miles  south  of  Gettysburg.  The  left  wing,  composed  of 
the  First,  Third  and  Eleventh  Corps,  was  under  command  of  General  Rey 
nolds.  The  Fifth  and  Twelfth  Corps,  of  the  right  wing,  were  under  General 
Slociun. 

A  signal  officer  attached  to  Buford's  Division  states*  that  on  the  night  of 
the  3Oth,  General  Buford  spent  some  hours  with  Colonel  Devin,  of  the  Sixth 
New  York  Cavalry,  who  was  in  command  of  the  Second  Brigade.  While 
commenting  on  the  information  brought  in  by  Devin's  scouts,  Buford  re 
marked  that  "  the  battle  would  be  fought  at  that  point,"  and  "  he  was  afraid 
that  it  would  be  commenced  in  the  morning  before  the  infantry  would  get  up." 

Devin,  who  did  not  believe  in  so  early  an  advance  of  the  enemy,  said  that 
he  would  "  take  care  of  all  that  would  attack  his  front  during  the  ensuing 
twenty-four  hours."  Buford  answered,  "  No,  you  won't.  They  will  attack 
you  in  the  morning;  and  they  will  come  '  booming '  —  skirmishers  three  deep. 
You  will  have  to  fight  like  the  devil  to  hold  your  own  until  supports  arrive. 
The  enemy  must  know  the  importance  of  this  position,  and  will  strain  every 
nerve  to  secure  it,  and  if  we  are  able  to  hold  it  we  will  do  well."  It  is  interest 
ing  to  note  how  accurately  Buford's  prediction  was  fulfilled  on  the  morrow. 

In  Gamble's  Brigade  there  was  a  New  York  regiment,  the  Eighth  Cavalry, 
under  command  of  Lieut.  Col.  William  L.  Markell;  in  Devin's  Brigade  there 
were  two  New  York  regiments, —  the  Sixth  Cavalry,  Maj.  William  E.  Beards- 
ley,  and  the  Ninth  Cavalry,  Col.  William  Sackett.  Thus  it  was  that  New  York 
participated  in  the  first  operations  on  that  field. 

During  the  night  the  brigade  picket  line,  made  up  of  details  from  each  regi 
ment  in  Devin's  Brigade  (Sixth  New  York,  Ninth  New  York,  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania,  and  Third  West  Virginia),  was  pushed  forward  on  the  Chambers- 
burg  Pike  to  Willoughby  Run,  from  whence  the  line  extended  northerly  and 
easterly  across  the  Mummasburg,  Carlisle,  and  Harrisburg  Roads.  The  line 
was  in  charge  of  Colonel  Sackett,  Ninth  New  York,  who  was  brigade  officer 
of  the  day.  At  daylight  the  advanced  picket  post  on  the  Chambersburg  Pike 
was  held  by  Corp.  Alphonse  Hodges,  of  Company  F,  Ninth  New  York  Cav 
alry,  and  three  other  cavalrymen.  Men  were  seen  approaching  on  the  road, 
beyond  Willoughby  Run,  and  nearly  a  mile  away.  Acting  under  orders 
Hodges  immediately  sent  his  comrades  to  notify  the  line  and  the  reserve,  while 
he  advanced  across  the  Run  till  near  enough  to  see  that  the  approaching  men 
belonged  to  the  enemy;  then  he  turned  back,  and  as  he  did  so  they  fired  at 
him.  He  retired  to  the  Run  where,  from  behind  the  abutments  of  the  bridge, 
he  fired  several  shots  at  the  enemy.  This  occurred  about  5:30  a.  m.,  and  this 

*  From  Decisive  Conflicts  of  the  War;  by  J.  Watts  de  Peyster,  Brev.  Maj.  Gen.,  N.  G., 
S.  N.  Y. 


I0  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

exchange  of  shots  between  the  Confederate  videttes  and  a  New  York  trooper 

o 

are  believed  to  be  the  first  fired  at  Gettysburg.* 

In  the  skirmishing  which  ensued  later  in  the  morning  Cyrus  W.  James,  of 
Company  G,  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry,  was  killed,  and  he  is  said  to  have  been 
the  first  Union  soldier  killed  in  the  battle. 

Between  8  and  9  a.  m.,  the  pickets  in  front  of  Gamble's  Brigade,  gave  notice 
that  the  infantry  columns  of  the  enemy,  accompanied  by  artillery,  were  ap 
proaching  from  the  direction  of  Cashtown.  The  Confederate  advance  consisted 
of  Archer's  and  Davis's  Brigades,  of  Heth's  Division,  of  A.  P.  Hill's  Third 
Corps.  No  cavalry  preceded  them,  for  General  Lee's  mounted  troops,  as  has 
been  explained,  were  on  duty  elsewhere  or  had  become  separated  from  his 
army,  and  he  was  thus  deprived  of  their  services  at  this  critical  time.  Archer 
and  Davis  brought  forward  eight  regiments  in  their  two  commands.  Gamble 
confronted  them  with  his  small  brigade,  which  he  reported  officially  as  1,600 
strong.  As  his  men  fought  dismounted  their  effective  strength  was  still  less, 
every  fourth  man  holding  the  "  led  horses  "  in  the  rear. 

Unequal  as  their  numbers  were,  Buford's  men  marched  out  boldly  and 
"  proudly  "  to  the  position  assigned  them.  Moving  out  beyond  the  Seminary 
about  one  mile,  Gamble  formed  his  brigade  with  its  right  resting  on  the  line 
of  an  unfinished  railroad  and  its  left  near  the  Fairfield  Road,  the  Chambersburg 
Pike  passing  through  his  line  a  little  to  the  right  of  the  centre  and  at  right 
angles  with  it.  Devin,  with  the  Second  Brigade,  formed  to  the  right,  his  line 
extending  from  the  railroad  to  the  Mummasburg  Road. 

The  opening  gun  of  the  battle  was  fired  by  the  Confederates,  the  shot  coming 
from  a  cannon  in  Marye's  Virginia  Battery,  posted  on  the  Chambersburg  Pike 
on  the  first  ridge  west  of  Willoughby  Run.  Calef's  Horse  Battery  —  A,  Second 
United  States  Artillery, —  which  was  attached  to  Buford's  Division,  replied 
promptly  from  its  position  near  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  and  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg  began.  The  Confederate  artillery  answered  the  fire  of  Calef's  Bat 
tery  with  twelve  guns,  while  Heth's  infantry  pressed  Gamble's  men  with  a 
strong  skirmish  line.  The  cavalrymen  responded  with  a  rapid  carbine  fire 
from  behind  the  trees,  rocks,  and  stone  walls  along  their  advantageous  position 
on  the  ridge,  their  sturdy  resistance  giving  Heth  the  impression  that  he  had 
infantry  before  him,  and  causing  him  to  advance  slowly  and  cautiously.  Buford, 
though  hard  pressed,  held  his  own  stoutly,  knowing  that  reinforcements  must 
soon  arrive. 

The  fight  had  raged  fiercely  for  over  an  hour,  when  the  signal  officer  in  the 
belfry  of  the  Seminary  turning  his  anxious  eyes  towards  the  Emmitsburg  Road, 
saw  in  the  distance  the  corps  flag  of  General  Reynolds'  troops,  the  First  Corps. 
Buford,  on  receiving  the  welcome  news,  climbed  hurriedly  into  the  tower,  and, 
looking  through  the  telescope  of  the  signal  lieutenant,  said,  "  Now,  we  can 
hold  the  place."  Reynolds  came  galloping  up  with  his  staff,  and,  seeing  Buford 
in  the  tower,  cried  out,  "  What's  the  matter,  John?  "  "  The  devil's  to  pay,"  said 
Buford.  f  The  two  generals  rode  out  to  the  field,  encouraging  by  their  presence 

*  From  a  paper  prepared  for  the   Gettysburg   Battlefield   Memorial   Association,    by 
Capt.  Newel  Cheney,  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry, 
t  De  Peyster. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  II 

Gamble's  hard-pressed  men.  Reynolds  exposed  himself  boldly  to  the  fire  of 
the  enemy  despite  Buford's  entreaties  to  be  more  careful,  to  all  of  which  Rey 
nolds  only  laughed  and  moved  nearer  to  the  front 

Having  made  a  brief  survey  of  the  field  Reynolds  rode  back  to  meet  his  corps 
and  hurry  the  troops  forward  to  Buford's  relief.  Instructing  Wadsworth, 
whose  division  was  in  advance,  to  press  forward  with  all  speed,  he  sent  an 
aide  to  order  the  two  other  divisions  of  the  First  Corps,  which  were  some 
distance  in  the  rear,  to  come  on  without  delay.  He  sent  word,  also,  to  How 
ard  to  bring  up  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Emmitsburg,  where  it  was  resting. 

Before  meeting  the  head  of  Wadsworth's  column,  Reynolds,  glancing  at 
Cemetery  Hill,  expressed  the  opinion  that  if  he  formed  his  troops  there  the 
town  might  be  destroyed;  and  that  he  did  not  know  whether  there  was  time 
enough  to  get  his  troops  into  position  on  the  other  side  of  the  town.  When 
Wadsworth  rode  up  Reynolds  had  a  momentary  consultation  with  himf  as 
to  whether  the  troops  should  go  into  Gettysburg  or  take  a  position  in  front 
of  it.  Reynolds  decided  that  if  they  occupied  the  town  the  enemy  might  shell 
and  destroy  it,  and  that  they  had  better  form  their  lines  outside. 

Marching  to  the  sound  of  the  cannon,  Wadsworth's  Division,  of  the  First 
Corps,  approaches  the  town;  but,  leaving  the  Emmitsburg  Road  at  the  Codori 
House  for  a  shorter  route  to  the  scene  of  the  conflict,  the  division,  composed 
of  Cutler's  and  Meredith's  brigades,  moves  across  the  fields.  As  the  column 
comes  in  sight, —  the  first  infantry  on  that  field, —  it  is  seen  that  the  blue  flag 
carried  by  the  leading  regiment  bears  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  Empire  State. 
It  is  the  Seventy-sixth  New  York,  a  gallant  regiment  worthy  of  the  historic 
numerals  that  form  its  designation. 

The  leading  brigade,  Cutler's,  containing  four  New  York  regiments,  is 
formed  across  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  deploying  under  artillery  fire,  with  the 
Seventy-sixth  New  York,  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania,  and  One  hundred  and 
forty-seventh  New  York  along  a  ridge  on  the  right  of  a  deep  cut  in  the  rail 
road,  and  at  a  right  angle  with  it;  the  Fourteenth  Brooklyn  (Eighty-fourth  New 
York  Volunteers)  and  Ninety-fifth  New  York  on  the  left.  The  first  infantry 
volley,  as  is  meet  and  proper  on  this  field,  rings  out  immediately  from  the 
rifles  of  the  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania.  With  an  echoing  crash  the  Seventy-sixth 
New  York  follows  with  its  fire.  Hall's  Second  Maine  Battery  relieves  Calef's 
guns,  and  takes  position  on  the  right  of  the  road.  Meredith's  "  Iron  "  Brigade 
enters  the  McPherson  woods,  on  Cutler's  left  and  south  of  the  Chambersburg 
Pike,  being  placed  in  position  by  General  Doubleday,  who  is  now  in  command 
of  the  First  Corps,  General  Reynolds  having  been  placed  in  command  of  the 
left  wing  of  the  Union  army.  Gamble's  cavalry  brigade  having  fallen  back 
from  its  advanced  position  was  now  relieved. 

While  leading  forward  the  Nineteenth  Indiana,  of  Meredith's  Brigade,  Gen 
eral  Reynolds  receives  a  fatal  wound  and  falls  from  his  horse,  expiring  without 

t  See  Wadsworth's  testimony  before  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War. 


12  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

a  word.  By  this  most  unfortunate  event,  which  occurred  about  10:15  a-  m-> 
General  Doubleday  succeeded  to  the  command.  To  his  able  generalship  in 
that  trying  hour  is  due  much  of  the  glory  that  the  First  Corps  won  on  this 
bloody  field. 

On  the  right,  Davis'  Brigade,  composed  of  Mississippi  and  North  Carolina 
troops,  moving  along  the  north  side  of  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  attacked  the 
three  regiments  of  Cutler's  Brigade,  which  had  gone  into  position  there.  The 
Seventy-sixth  New  York,  which  held  the  right,  was  outflanked  by  the  more 
extended  line  of  the  enemy,  but  held  its  ground  bravely,  though  suffering  a 
terrible  loss.  In  order  to  check  the  force  —  Fifty-fifth  North  Carolina  —  that 
was  pressing  their  flank  and  theatening  their  rear,  Major  Grover,  the  com 
mandant  of  the  Seventy-sixth,  ordered  his  five  right  companies  to  change  front 
to  rear,  forming  thus  a  line  at  a  right  angle  to  that  of  his  left  companies.  He 
had  just  given  the  order  when  he  fell  mortally  wounded,  and  Capt.  John  E. 
Cook  succeeded  to  the  command.  General  Wadsworth,  seeing  the  perilous 
situation  of  Cutler's  three  regiments  on  the  right  of  the  railroad,  ordered  them 
withdrawn  to  a  position  in  the  woods  on  Seminary  Ridge.  The  Seventy-sixth 
New  York  and  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania,  although  under  a  severe  musketry 
lire,  withdrew  in  good  order  and  with  well-closed  ranks  to  the  new  position 
assigned  them.  But  the  One  hundred  and  forty-seventh  New  York  did  not 
fall  back  as  ordered.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Miller,  who  was  in  command,  was 
wounded  in  the  head  immediately  after  receiving  the  order,  and  failed  to  give 
the  command  to  fall  back.  Maj.  George  Harney,  the  next  in  command,  held 
the  regiment  in  its  exposed  position,  unaware  that  an  order  had  been  given 
for  the  regiment  to  withdraw.  In  face  of  the  musketry  that  was  rapidly  thinning 
its  ranks  the  One  hundred  and  forty-seventh  held  its  ground  manfully,  until  the 
enemy  were  in  possession  of  the  railroad  cut  on  its  left  and  the  ground  on  it3 
right.  Just  then  Capt.  T.  E.  Ellsworth,  of  Wadsworth's  start,  rode  out  to  the 
regiment,  and  finding  Major  Harney  repeated  the  order  to  withdraw.  The 
regiment  then  retreated,  barely  escaping  capture. 

In  this  affair  of  Cutler's,  lasting  about  half  an  hour,  the  Seventy-sixth  New 
York  lost  169,  killed  or  wounded,  out  of  27  officers  and  348  men  taken  into 
action.  Maj.  Andrew  J.  Grover,  Capt.  Robert  B.  Everett,  Capt.  Robert  Story, 
Lieut.  Philip  Keeler,  and  Lieut.  Robert  G.  Noxon  were  killed,  and  thirteen 
other  officers  were  wounded.  Sergeant  Hubbard,  of  the  One  hundred  and 
forty-seventh  New  York,  was  in  command  of  the  provost  guard  of  the  brigade 
that  morning.  He  formed  the  guard,  consisting  of  eighteen  men,  on  the  right 
of  the  Seventy-sixth  New  York  and  fought  there,  losing  twelve  of  his  men. 
The  One  hundred  and  forty-seventh  New  York,  by  reason  of  its  prolonged 
resistance,  sustained  a  still  greater  loss,  losing  207  in  killed  and  wounded  out 
of  380  present  with  the  colors.  Lieutenants  Mace,  Taylor,  Van  Dusen, 
Schenck,  and  McAssy  lost  their  lives,  while  seven  other  officers  were  wounded. 
Color  Sergeant  Hinchcliff  was  shot  through  the  heart,  and  fell  on  the  colors. 
But  the  blood-stained  flag  was  rescued  by  Sergeant  Wybourn,  who  brought  it 
off  the  field,  though  seriously  wounded  himself. 

While  this  fight  was  going  on  between  Davis'  Brigade  and  Cutler's  three 
regiments,  the  two  other  regiments  of  Cutler's  Brigade  —  the  Fourteenth 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  13 

Brooklyn  and  Ninety-fifth  New  York  —  which  had  been  detached  by  order 
of  General  Reynolds,  to  support  Hall's  Battery,  remained  on  the  left  or  south 
sicle  of  the  Chambersburg  Pike.  They  deployed,  with  the  Ninety-fifth  New 
York  on  the  left.  The  two  regiments,  now  detached  from  the  rest  of  the  brigade, 
were  under  command  of  Col.  Edward  B.  Fowler,  of  the  Fourteenth.  They 
became  engaged  immediately  with  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  posted  in  their 
front,  and  in  the  McPherson  woods  on  the  left.  Assisted  by  the  advance  of 
the  Iron  Brigade  —  Meredith's  —  they  drove  the  opposing  line  back,  but  soon 
found  that  the  enemy,  having  overpowered  the  rest  of  the  brigade  on  the  right 
of  the  railroad,  was  advancing.  Some  of  Davis'  Mississippians  passed  be 
tween  the  right  of  the  Fourteenth  and  the  railroad  cut,  forcing  Hall's  Battery 
to  retire  with  the  temporary  loss  of  one  of  its  guns.  Fowler  immediately  or 
dered  his  two  regiments  to  about  face  and  march  to  the  rear.  His  line  marched 
thus  until  abreast  of  the  Confederate  advance,  when  he  gave  the  order  to  change 
front  forward,  thus  bringing  his  line  at  right  angles  with  the  former  one. 
iiis  two  regiments  were  now  formed  parallel  with  and  facing  the  Chambers 
burg  Pike,  and  the  railroad  to  the  north  of  it.  The  enemy,  halting  in  his  ad 
vance,  changed  front  also  to  meet  this  unexpected  and  threatening  manoeuvre. 
In  the  meantime  the  Sixth  Wisconsin,  of  Meredith's  Brigade,  had  been  placed 
in  reserve  near  the  Seminary.  It  was  under  command  of  Lieut.  Col.  Rufus  R. 
Dawes.  General  Doubleday,  seeing  the  retreat  of  Cutler's  three  regiments, 
ordered  the  Sixth  Wisconsin  forward  to  their  assistance.  Dawes  filed  to  the 
right  and  rear,  and  then  facing  to  the  left  came  up  at  a  double-quick  in  line 
with  Fowler's  two  New  York  regiments.  This  new  line  opened  fire  on  the 
enemy,  who  returned  it  with  deadly  effect,  the  Confederates  having  taken  posses 
sion  of  the  railroad  cut.  Fowler  and  Dawes  ordered  their  men  over  the  turn 
pike  fence,  and  then  gave  the  command  to  charge.  When  the  line  reached 
the  cut  some  of  the  Confederates  threw  down  their  rifles  as  evidence  of  sur 
render,  while  others,  more  desperate,  continued  to  fire.  But  a  detachment  of 
the  Sixth  Wisconsin  moved  across  the  east  end  of  the  cut,  from  which  position 
they  could  enfilade  its  entire  length  with  their  fire.  The  Confederates  then 
surrendered.  The  troops  thus  captured,  about  300  in  number,  belonged  to 
Davis'  Brigade.  Most  of  them  were  from  the  Second  Mississippi,  Maj.  John 
A.  Blair,  commander  of  the  regiment,  together  with  the  colors,  being  captured 
with  the  rest.  A  large  number  of  Davis'  men,  who  were  opposite  Fowler's 
left,  made  their  way  out  of  the  west  end  of  the  cut  and  thus  escaped.  By  this 
daring  and  brilliant  movement  of  Fowler  and  his  New  York  men,  the  lost  gun 
of  Hall's  Battery  was  recaptured.  Col.  George  H.  Biddle,  of  the  Ninety-fifth 
New  York,  was  wounded  here,  the  command  then  devolving  on  Maj.  Edward 
Pye. 

While  Cutler's  Brigade  was  making  this  gallant  fight  along  both  sides  of 
the  railroad  grading,  the  Iron  Brigade,  under  Meredith,  was  achieving  honor 
and  success  farther  to  the  left.  Following  Cutler  closely  on  the  field,  it  had 
been  ordered  by  General  Reynolds  to  seize  and  hold  the  McPherson  woods  on 
Fowler's  left. 

Meredith's  four  regiments,  advancing  en  echelon,  relieved  the  cavalrymen  of 
Gamble's  Brigade,  and  entered  the  woods,  where  they  encountered  Archer's 


14  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Brigade.  Their  spirited  attack  forced  Archer's  line  back  and  across  Willoughby 
Run,  the  Union  troops  occupying  the  ground  on  the  farther  side.  In  this 
successful  advance  the  Iron  Brigade  suffered  terribly  in  men  and  officers,  but 
at  the  same  time  inflicted  a  severe  loss  on  the  enemy.  Several  hundred  prisoners 
were  captured,  including  General  Archer  himself.  Doubleday  soon  ordered 
Meredith  to  withdraw  his  brigade  to  the  east  side  of  the  stream,  and  form 
line  in  the  woods  from  which  he  had  driven  the  enemy.  In  the  meanwhile 
such  of  Davis'  men  as  had  escaped  capture  retreated  from  the  field,  and 
Cutler's  troops  advanced  to  their  old  position. 

It  was  now  about  1 1  o'clock.  The  fighting  ceased,  and  for  three  hours  there 
was  a  lull  in  the  conflict.  This  opening  contest  between  the  infantry  of  Wads- 
worth  and  Heth  formed  a  distinct,  separate  period  in  the  battle  of  the  first  day. 
The  fighting  thus  far,  aside  from  that  of  Buford's  Cavalry,  was  between  Cutler's 
and  Meredith's  brigades  on.  the  one  side,  and  Davis'  and  Archer's  on  the 
other.  The  success  of  the  Union  troops  in  repelling  this  opening  attack  made 
Heth  cautious,  and  he  occupied  the  ensuing  interval  in  bringing  up  his  two 
other  brigades,  Pettigrew's  and  Brockenbrough's. 

During  the  two  hours  or  more  succeeding  the  repulse  of  Heth  there  was 
no  infantry  fighting.  Each  side  was  preparing  for  a  renewal  of  the  contest, 
Doubleday  and  his  men  disdaining  to  avail  themselves  of  this  opportunity  to 
effect  a  safe  and  honorable  retreat.  The  skirmishers  exchanged  shots,  and  at 
times  there  was  a  heavy  artillery  fire,  principally  from  the  Confederate  batteries. 
But  during  this  cessation  in  the  battle  important  movements  were  being  made. 

Gen.  A.  P.  Hill,  commanding  the  Confederate  Third  Corps,  placed  Heth's 
Division  again  in  the  advance.  Fender's  Division  was  placed  in  support  of 
Heth.  Hill's  remaining  division  —  R.  H.  Anderson's  —  did  not  arrive  on  the 
field  in  time  to  participate  in  the  fighting  of  the  first  day.  At  the  same  time,  on 
Hill's  left,  the  advance  of  Ewell's  Second  Corps  could  be  seen  coming  from 
the  north  to  his  support,  Rodes'  Division  on  the  Carlisle,  and  Early's  on  the 
Heidlersburg  roads.  Ewell's  remaining  division  —  Johnson's  —  was  several 
miles  away,  and  did  not  reach  the  field  until  night,  having  marched  twenty-five 
miles  that  day. 

Ewell,  whose  troops  were  at  Carlisle  and  York  the  day  before,  had  received 
orders  to  concentrate  at  Cashtown,  but  being  notified  that  Hill  was  marching 
towards  Gettysburg  he  turned  his  columns  in  that  direction  also. 

On  the  Union  side,  in  the  meanwhile,  the  two  other  divisions  of  the  First 
Corps  —  Robinson's  and  Rowley's  —  came  up,  arriving  on  the  field  about  12 
o'clock.  As  Robinson's  troops  came  on  the  ground,  one  of  his  brigades  — 
Baxter's — made  a  short  halt  at  the  Seminary,  and  then  moved  to  the  front, 
where  it  went  into  position  on  Seminary  Ridge,  with  its  right  resting  on  the 
Mummasburg  Road.  Baxter's  left  connected  with  Wadsworth's  Division. 
Robinson's  other  brigade,  under  command  of  Gen.  Gabriel  R.  Paul,  was 
placed  in  reserve  at  the  Seminary,  where  it  threw  up  a  line  of  intrenchments, 
by  General  Doubleday's  order,  to  aid  in  holding  that  point  in  case  the  line  was 
driven  back.  These  works  were  of  slight  construction,  but  Doubleday's  pre 
caution  proved  a  wise  one  in  the  course  of  subsequent  event". 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  15 

Rowley's  Division  was  divided.  One  brigade,  under  command  of  Col.  Roy 
Stone,  was  placed  on  Meredith's  right,  occupying  the  open  fields  on  the  ridge 
at  the  McPherson  House,  its  line  extending  to  the  Chambersburg  Pike.  The 
other  brigade  —  Col.  Chapman  Biddle's  —  was  posted  on  the  left  and  rear  of  the 
Iron  Brigade. 

The  Eleventh  Corps,  marching  by  the  Emmitsburg  and  Taneytown  roads, 
came  through  the  town  soon  after  this.  These  troops  arrived  on  the  field 
about  1 130  p.  m.,*  fatigued  with  a  forced  march  of  ten  miles  or  more,  made 
without  a  halt  under  a  hot  July  sun,  from  where  they  were  encamped  that  morn 
ing  near  Emmitsburg.  General  Howard  retained  Steinwehr's  Division  and 
Wiedrich's  New  York  Battery  to  hold  and  fortify  Cemetery  Hill,  sending  for 
ward  the  two  divisions  of  Schurz  and  Barlow  to  Doubleday's  assistance. 
General  Schurz  was  given  the  immediate  command  of  the  corps,  Howard,  by 
right  of  seniority,  having  assumed  command  of  the  entire  field.  General 
Schimmelfennig  succeeded  to  the  command  of  Schurz's  Division. 

Schurz  pushed  his  skirmishers  forward  rapidly,  intending  to  seize  Oak  Ridge 
and  make  connection  with  the  right  of  the  First  Corps,  thereby  prolonging 
the  line  northerly  along  the  ridge,  part  of  which  was  already  occupied  by 
Robinson's  Division  of  that  corps.  This  would  have  been  a  strong  position, 
provided  the  attack  came  from  the  west  only.  But  before  Schurz's  troops 
could  reach  the  ridge,  this  commanding  position  was  occupied  by  the  advance 
of  Rodes'  Division  of  Ewell's  Corps,  whose  movement  had  hitherto  been  con 
cealed  by  the  woods.  Carter's  (Confederate)  Artillery  took  a  position  on  the 
ridge  immediately,  and  opened  a  fire  that  enfiladed  the  entire  line  of  the  First 
Corps. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  form  on  Oak  Ridge  in  prolongation  of  the  line 
of  the  First  Corps,  Schurz  was  obliged  to  occupy  the  lower  ground  in  the  rear, 
and  so  his  two  divisions  —  Barlow's  and  Schimmelfennig's  —  deployed  on  the 
level  fields  and  lowlands  situated  between  Oak  Ridge  and  Rock  Creek.  Instead 
of  prolonging  Doubleday's  right,  Schurz  was  forced  to  face  the  Eleventh  Corps 
to  the  north  to  meet  Ewell's  advance,  his  line  thus  forming  a  right  angle  to  that 
of  Doubleday's,  but  failing  to  connect  with  it  closely. 

Schimmelfennig,  who  was  nearest  the  First  Corps,  and  whose  troops  arrived 
first,  deployed  his  two  brigades  in  double  lines,  his  own  brigade,  under  Colonel 
von  Amsberg,  forming  his  left,  and  Krzyzanowski's  Brigade  holding  the  right 
of  his  line.  General  Barlow's  Division  held  the  extreme  right  of  the  line  of 
battle,  occupying  the  ground  between  the  Carlisle  and  Heidlersburg  roads,  his 
right  brigade  —  Von  Gilsa's  —  reaching  to  Rock  Creek. 

The  troops  that  are  to  take  part  in  the  battle  of  the  first  day  are  all  up  now 
and  in  position.  It  is  well  to  note  here  the  comparative  strength  of  the  oppos 
ing  forces.  The  two  Confederate  corps  of  Hill  and  Ewellf  confront  respectively 

*  The  Forty-fifth  New  York,  Schimmelfennig's  Brigade,  arrived  in  Gettysburg  at 
11:15  a.  m.,  by  the  town  clock,  and  four  companies  of  this  regiment,  under  Capt.  Francis 
Irsch,  were  deployed  as  skirmishers,  not  long  after,  on  the  Mummasburg  Road.  Schurz's 
and  Steinwehr's  Divisions  marched  thirteen  miles,  having  taken  the  circuitous  route 
by  Horner's  Mills, 

t  In  each  of  these  two  corps  —  Hill's  and  Ewell's  —  there  \sas  one  division  absent,  no' 
having  arrived  on  the  field  at  this  time. 


1 6  .NEW   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

the  two  corps  of  Doubleday  and  Schurz.  But  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
the  corps  organization  is  smaller  than  that  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 
Hill's  two  divisions  which  are  present  contain  eight  brigades  or  thirty-five 
regiments,  while  Dotibleday's  entire  corps  of  six  brigades  contains  only  twenty- 
eight  regiments.*  The  two  divisions  of  Ewell's  corps  which  are  present  con 
tain  eight  brigades,  f  with  thirty-six  regiments,  as  opposed  to  Schurz's  five 
brigades,  with  twenty-two  regiments,  including  Coster's  Brigade,  of  Steinwehr's 
Division,  which  was  subsequently  sent  to  Schurz's  assistance.  To  the  Union 
strength  must  be  added  the  two  small  cavalry  brigades  of  Buford.  The  Con 
federates  numbered  about  27,300  infantry  and  artillery.^  The  Union  troops 
opposing  them  numbered  only  18,400,  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery.§ 

The  Union  line  of  battle  forms  a  semi-circle.  The  First  Corps  is  on  the  left 
of  the  Mummasburg  Road,  facing  west  and  northwest;  the  Eleventh  Corps 
is  on  the  right  of  the  road,  and  is  faced  north. 

It  is  now  2  o'clock,  and  the  Confederates  advance  to  the  attack.  The  second 
contest  of  the  day  is  about  to  commence.  Rodes'  Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps, 
is  the  first  to  move,  its  advance  being  preceded  by  a  heavy  cannonade  from 
Carter's  Artillery,  sixteen  guns  of  which  are  posted  on  Oak  Ridge,  from  where 
they  enfilade  Wadsworth's  line.  As  Rodes'  five  brigades  advance  from  the 
north  their  attack  falls  on  the  flank  of  the  First  Corps.  Gen.  A.  P.  Hill,  seeing 
Ewell's  troops  engaged,  gives  the  order  for  the  divisions  of  Heth  and  Pender 
to  advance.  Closely  succeeding  these  movements,  Early's  Division,  of  Ewell's 
Corps,  from  its  position  on  the  Confederate  left,  moves  forward  against  the 
Eleventh  Corps.-  The  whole  line  becomes  engaged,  and  the  semi-circular  lines 
of  fire,  over  two  miles  long,  mark  the  positions  of  the  contending  forces.  Over 
45,000  troops  are  engaged  in  the  deadly  struggle  for  the  possession  of  this  field. 

Through  woods  and  orchards,  over  meadows  and  through  fields  of  waving 
grain,  the  veterans  of  Rodes'  Division  moved  steadily  along  the  ridge  toward 
the  right  flank  of  the  First  Corps.  Cutler  withdrew  his  brigade  from  its  ad 
vanced  position  and  formed  again  on  Seminary  Ridge,  with  Baxter  on  his 
right.  As  Rodes  advanced,  his  left  flank  became  engaged  first;  but  his  right 

*  There  was  one  regiment  on  each  side  —  nth  Mississippi  and  7th  Indiana  —  absent 
with  the  trains. 

t  Not  including  Smith's  Brigade,  of  Early's  Division,  which  was  left  on  the  York 
Road,  and  did  not  arrive  on  the  field. 

$  General  Heth  states,  in  the  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers,  that  his  division 
at  Gettysburg  "  numbered  some  seven  thousand  muskets."  This  would  indicate  that 
he  carried  about  7,688  officers  and  men  into  action.  General  Rodes  reported  officially 
the  strength  of  his  division  as  8,052  officers  and  men.  General  Early,  in  the  So.  Hist. 
Soc.  Papers,  states  that  his  three  brigades  reported  on  June  2Oth,  4,756  officers  and  men 
present  for  duty.  There  is  no  official  statement  of  the  strength  of  Fender's  Division; 
its  four  brigades,  in  the  aggregate,  probably  numbered  about  6,000.  In  addition  to  the 
infantry  the  Confederates  had  63  pieces  of  artillery  in  action  during  the  first  day's  battle. 

§  General  Doubleday,  in  his  official  report,  states  that  the  First  Corps  numbered  8,200 
at  the  beginning  of  the  fight.  Part  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  was  not  on  the  field,  one 
brigade  and  one  battery  having  been  left  on  Cemetery  Hill.  Colonel  Gamble,  of  Buford's 
Division,  reports  officially  that  his  brigade  was  "  about  1,600  strong." 


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NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  17 

swung  forward  until  most  of  his  line  conformed  with  that  of  Robinson 
and  Wadsworth.  The  opening  attack,  made  by  O'Neal's  Alabama  Brigade 
and  Iverson's  North  Carolina  Brigade,  was  repulsed  by  Baxter's  regiments, 
the  Confederates  suffering  a  severe  loss.  Iverson  lost  here  about  1,000 
prisoners. 

The  brigades  of  O'Neal  and  Iverson  did  not  attack  simultaneously,  nor  with 
a  proper  concert  of  action;  if  they  had,  Baxter's  regiments  would  not  have 
fared  so  well.  General  Robinson,  to  whose  division  Baxter's  Brigade  belonged, 
directed  its  movements  so  skillfully,  changing  front  repeatedly  to  face  the 
different  directions  in  which  O'Neal  and  Iverson  successively  approached,  that 
Baxter  and  his  men  won  a  good  share  of  the  honors  of  the  day.  Baxter  was 
materially  assisted  at  this  time  by  Cutler's  Brigade,  which,  from  its  position  on 
Baxter's  left,  delivered  an  effective  fire  against  the  flank  of  Iverson's  line. 

In  Baxter's  Brigade  there  were  two  New  York  regiments  which  were  con 
spicuous  for  their  dashing  gallantry  in  this  brilliant  affair  —  the  Eighty-third, 
under  command  of  Lieut.  Col.  Joseph  A.  Moesch,  and  the  Ninety-seventh, 
Col.  Charles  Wheelock.  These  two  commands,  in  company  with  the  Eighty- 
eighth  Pennsylvania,  made  a  charge  on  Iverson's  Brigade,  in  which  the  Ninety- 
seventh  New  York  captured  the  colors  of  the  Twentieth  North  Carolina,  to 
gether  with  213  officers  and  men.  In  a  second  charge  this  gallant  regiment 
succeeded  in  capturing  eighty  more  men,  the  Ninety-seventh  thus  taking  more 
prisoners  than  there  were  men  in  that  regiment.  In  this  battle  of  the  first  day, 
Lieutenants  Morrin,  Stiles  and  Cady,  of  the  Ninety-seventh,  were  killed  or 
mortally  wounded.  In  the  Eighty-third  New  York,  Capt.  Thomas  W.  Quirk 
and  Lieut.  Charles  A.  Clark  were  killed. 

Reinforced  by  Ramseur's  Brigade  the  Confederates  renewed  the  contest  at 
this  point,  whereupon  Robinson  ordered  up  his  only  reserve,  that  of  Paul's 
Brigade,  relieving  a  part  of  Baxter's  regiments  and  supporting  the  others.  In 
Paul's  Brigade  were  the  Ninety-fourth  New  York,  Colonel  Adrian  R.  Root,  and 
the  One  hundred  and  fourth  New  York,  Col.  Gilbert  G.  Prey.  The  latter 
regiment  distinguished  itself  in  a  charge  made  by  its  three  left  companies  on  a 
stone  wall,  from  which  they  dislodged  the  enemy,  capturing  sixty  prisoners  or 
more.  Lieut.  Thomas  Johnson,  of  the  One  hundred  and  fourth,  was  mortally 
wounded.  General  Paul  was  seriously  wounded,  losing  both  eyes.  Colonel 
Root  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  brigade,  holding  it  until  wounded 
himself. 

As  the  crashing  sound  of  O'Neal's  opening  volleys  announced  that  Swell's 
troops  were  engaged,  Gen.  A.  P.  Hill  ordered  the  Confederate  divisions  of 
Heth  and  Pender  to  advance.  They  moved  forward  against  Doubleday  with 
Heth  in  front,  and  Pender  closely  following  in  support.  The  centre  of  Heth's 
line  was  formed  by  the  large  brigades  of  Pettigrew  and  Brockenbrough,  and 
moving  across  Willoughby  Run  they  attacked  the  position  from  which  Archer's 
Tennesseeans  were  so  disastrously  repulsed  in  the  morning.  The  Iron  Brigade 
still  held  its  former  position  in  the  McPherson  Woods,  while  Stone's  Brigade 
of  three  Pennsylvania  regiments,  joining  on  Meredith's  right,  extended  to  the 
Chambersburg  Pike.  These  Pennsylvanians  are  the  ones  who  went  into  posi 
tion  shouting,  "  We  have  come  to  stay,"  and  so  many  of  whom  are  there  still. 


1 8  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Stone,  who  had  been  hard  pressed  on  his  right  flank  by  Daniel's  North  Caro 
linians,  of  Rodes'  Division,  placed  his  two  right  regiments  on  the  Pike  facing 
north,  leaving  only  one  facing  west  towards  Brockenbrough's  advance.  His 
line  formed  two  sides  of  a  right  angle,  with  no  connection  on  his  right.  It 
was  a  salient  angle,  at  the  farthest  advanced  position  on  the  Union  line.  And 
yet  his  men  held  it  with  a  tenacity  and  courage  deserving  of  better  success  than 
fate  awarded  them.  Unable  to  cope  longer  with  overpowering  numbers, 
Meredith  and  Stone  fell  back,  slowly  and  in  good  order,  to  a  position  on 
Seminary  Ridge. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  second  period  in  the  day's  fighting,  Battery  L,  First 
New  York  Light  Artillery,  Capt.  Gilbert  H.  Reynolds,  went  into  action  with 
its  six  three-inch  rifles  in  the  field  between  the  Chambersburg  Pike  and  the 
railroad  cut,  the  same  position  that  was  occupied  by  Hall's  Battery  in  the  open 
ing  fight  of  the  morning.  The  battery  was  exposed  here  to  a  severe  cross-fire 
from  the  enemy's  artillery,  during  which  Captain  Reynolds  was  seriously 
wounded  in  the  eye.  The  command  devolved  then  upon  Lieut.  George  Brack, 
although  Captain  Reynolds  still  remained  with  his  guns,  refusing  to  leave  the 
field.  The  position  of  the  battery  at  the  railroad  cut  becoming  untenable,  Breck 
withdrew  his  pieces  to  the  field  south  of  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  and  went  into 
action  again  in  the  rear  of  the  McPherson  Woods.  Facing  his  battery  to  the 
north  he  delivered  an  effective  fire  on  Rodes'  Division. 

As  Heth's  Division  advanced,  Brockenbrough's  Brigade  was  held  in  check 
for  some  time  by  the  determined  resistance  of  a  part  of  Stone's  and  Meredith's 
troops.  But  Pettigrew's  large  brigade  overlapping  the  left  of  the  Iron  Brigade, 
forced  that  part  of  Meredith's  line  back,  and  sweeping  on  encountered  Biddle's 
Brigade  of  Robinson's  Division,  which  was  posted  in  the  rear  of  Meredith's 
left  regiments.  This  brigade  of  four  regiments,  included  the  Eightieth  New 
York, —  known  also  as  the  Ulster  Guard  or  Twentieth  N.  Y.  S.  Militia.  This 
veteran  regiment  was  commanded  by  Col.  Theodore  B.  Gates,  an  able  officer, 
whose  efficient  services  in  this  action  elicited  praise  in  the  official  reports  of 
his  superiors. 

Soon  after  arriving  on  the  field,  a  company  of  the  Eightieth  New  York,  under 
Captain  Baldwin,  was  sent  out  by  Colonel  'Gates  as  skirmishers.  This  company 
moved  forward  across  Willoughby  Run,  and  took  possession  of  a  house  and 
some  outbuildings  opposite  Doubleday's  left.  Being  hard  pressed,  another 
company,  under  Captain  Cunningham,  was  sent  as  a  reinforcement.  These 
two  companies  held  this  house  until  surrounded  on  three  sides  by  the  enemy, 
whose  men  fired  the  outbuildings.  The  two  New  York  companies  then  with 
drew  to  avoid  capture,  and  assisted  by  some  of  Buford's  cavalry  effected  their 
escape,  rejoining  their  command  that  evening  on  Cemetery  Hill. 

As  Pettigrew  pushed  on  over  the  ridge  east  of  Willoughby  Run,  forcing 
back  the  flank  of  the  Iron  Brigade,  his  left  regiment,  the  Twenty-sixth  North 
Carolina,  encountered  the  right  regiment  of  Biddle's  Brigade,  the  One  hundred 
and  fifty-first  Pennsylvania.  A  hot  musketry  fire  at  close  distance  ensued 
between  these  two  regiments,  resulting  in  losses  the  most  remarkable  in  the 
annals  of  the  war. 

The  phenomenal  loss  in  the  Twenty-sixth  North  Carolina  was  not  all  inflicted, 
however,  by  the  One  hundred  and  fifty-first  Pennsylvania.  The  Twenty-sixth 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  19 

received,  previously,  a  deadly  fire  from  the  Nineteenth  Indiana,  of  the  Iron 
Brigade,  and,  subsequently,  heavy  charges  of  canister  from  Cooper's  Battery, 
which  was  posted  in  the  centre  of  Biddle's  Brigade.  The  brigades  of  Meredith, 
Stone,  and  Biddle  withdrew  to  the  hastily  constructed  barricades  near  the 
Seminary  where,  in  connection  with  four  batteries  of  the  corps  artillery,  an 
other  determined  stand  was  made.  The  brigades  of  Pettigrew  and  Brocken- 
brough  did  not  follow  any  further,  being  relieved  at  this  juncture  by  Fender's 
Division,  which  had  followed  them  as  a  second  supporting  line. 

During  all  this  time  the  Eleventh  Corps  was  battling  manfully  on  the  right 
of  the  Union  line.  When  Early's  Division  arrived  on  the  Heidlersburg  Road, 
it  found  Rodes'  Division  already  moving  forward  to  the  attack.  Early's 
skirmishers  encountered  the  cavalry  pickets  and  skirmishers  of  Devin's  cav 
alry  brigade.  Devin's  troopers,  in  the  morning,  held  the  right  of  the  line  as 
far  southward  as  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  with  skirmishers  and  videttes  ex 
tending  northerly  and  easterly  across  the  Carlisle  and  York  roads.  When 
Cutler's  and  Baxter's  brigades  of  the  First  Corps  went  into  position,  Devin's 
skirmishers  moved  off  to  the  right,  still  holding  a  close  watch  on  the  roads  ap 
proaching  from  the  north.  As  Rodes'  and  Early's  divisions  successively  ar 
rived,  Devin  retired  gradually,  effecting  this  movement  to  the  rear  by  success 
ive  formations  in  line  by  regiment.  In  executing  these  movements  in  the 
face  of  the  enemy  his  troops  behaved  well,  and  formed  each  time  with  perfect 
coolness  and  order,  the  small  losses  in  the  Sixth  and  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry 
being  due  largely  to  the  admirable  manner  in  which  they  were  handled.  About 
this  time  Devin's  skirmishers  on  the  extreme  right  were  forced  back  by  the 
advance  of  Early's  line  of  battle  coming  from  the  direction  of  Heidlersburg; 
but  seeing  the  necessity  of  holding  the  ground  until  an  infantry  force  could 
arrive,  Devin  ordered  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry  to  support  the  skirmish 
line,  and  forming  the  rest  of  the  brigade  as  dismounted  carbineers  he  delayed 
Rodes  and  Early  until  relieved  by  the  arrival  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  Devin 
then  massed  his  brigade  on  the  right  of  the  York  Road,  where  he  guarded  that 
approach  during  the  ensuing  action. 

Early  having  pushed  Devin's  skirmishers  back,  moved  forward  against  ^K? 
Eleventh  Corps  with  three  of  his  four  brigades, —  Gordon's,  Hays',  and 
Hoke's.  He  was  joined  on  his  right  by  Doles'  Georgia  Brigade,  which  held 
the  left  of  Rodes'  advance,  but  which,  extending  beyond  Doubleday's  line, 
struck  the  Eleventh  Corps.  A  battalion  of  sharpshooters  from  O'Neal's  Brigade 
• —  the  Fifth  Alabama  —  was  also  on  this  portion  of  the  field. 

Confronting  these  four  Confederate  brigades  were  Devin's  cavalry  brigade, 
and  five  infantry  brigades  of  the  Eleventh  Corps, —  von  Gilsa's,  Ames's,  von 
Amsberg's,  Krzyzanowski's,  and  Coster's.  The  Confederate  brigades,  how 
ever,  were  somewhat  larger  than  those  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  and  so  the 
contending  forces  were  about  equal  in  numerical  strength.* 

General  Barlow,  who  held  the  right  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  and,  also,  the 
extreme  right  of  the  line  of  battle,  had  advanced  his  division  soon  after  its 
arrival  on  the  field,  taking  possession  of  a  small  hill  situated  between  the 

*  General  John  B.  Gordon,  commanding  the  Georgia  Brigade  in  Early's  Division,  re 
ported  officially  that  he  "  carried  into  action  about  1,200  men,  one  regiment  having  been 
detached." 


2O  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Carlisle  and  Heidlersburg  roads.  Rock  Creek  flows  along  the  base  of  this 
knoll  on  its  northeasterly  side.  Barlow  placed  von  Gilsa's  Brigade  in  some 
woods  along  Rock  Creek  at  the  farther  base  of  this  knoll.*  One  regiment  of 
this  brigade  —  the  Forty-first  New  York  —  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  von.  Ein- 
siedel,  was  absent  on  detached  duty  and  did  not  arrive  at  Gettysburg  until 
evening.  So,  von  Gilsa  had  only  three  regiments  with  which  to  hold  this 
position.  Two  of  these  regiments  were  from  New  York,  the  Fifty-fourth,  under 
Maj.  Stephen  Kovacs,  and  the  Sixty-eighth,  Col.  Gotthilf  Bourry.  General 
Barlow  placed  his  Second  Brigade  —  under  command  of  Gen.  Adelbert  Ames 
—  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  knoll,  with  its  line  facing  northwest  and  con 
necting  with  Schimmelfennig's  Division. 

While  in  this  position  the  division  was  attacked  by  Gordon's  Georgia  Brigade, 
Gordon  being  assisted  by  a  strong  artillery  fire  from  twelve  guns  of  Jones' 
Battalion,  posted  in  a  commanding  position  on  his  left,  where  these  batteries 
enfiladed  the  entire  line  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  The  Georgians  attacked  von 
Gilsa's  three  regiments  first,  crossing  Rock  Creek  in  the  face  of  a  hot  fire. 
Having  effected  a  crossing,  Gordon's  regiments  encountered  an  obstinate  re 
sistance  in  the  woods  on  the  knoll,  the  colors  on  the  two  lines  being  part  of 
the  time  only  fifty  paces  apart.  Von  Gilsa's  three  regiments  were  forced  back 
over  the  hill,  and  after  a  prolonged  resistance  by  Ames'  Brigade  the  division 
retreated  to  a  second  position  near  the  Almshouse,  where  it  formed  again.  Gen 
eral  Barlow,  who  had  been  promoted  from  the  colonelcy  of  the  Sixty-first  New 
York  for  meritorious  conduct,  exerted  himself  fearlessly  to  hold  the  ground. 
While  "  directing  the  movements  of  his  troops  with  the  most  praiseworthy 
coolness  and  intrepidity,  unmindful  of  the  shower  of  bullets  around  "f  he  was 
severely  wounded,  and  was  carried  to  the  rear  where  he  soon  after  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Barlow,  in  occupying  this  knoll,  placed  Battery  G,  Fourth  U.  S.  Artillery, 
in  position  there,  where  it  withstood,  for  half  an  hour,  the  fire  from  sixteen 
guns  of  the  enemy's  artillery.  This  battery  was  under  command  of  Lieut. 
Bayard  Wilkeson,  a  young  officer  only  nineteen  years  old,  who  had  been  ap 
pointed  to  the  regular  army  from  the  State  of  New  York.  He  was  fatally 
wounded  early  in  the  action  by  a  shot  from  the  enemy's  artillery,  and  was 
carried  to  the  Almshouse,  where  he  died  that  night  within  the  Confederate 
lines.  At  his  death  an  incident  occurred  which  was  a  worthy  counterpart  of 
that  of  Sir  Philip  Sidney,  at  Zutphen.  Just  before  Wilkeson  died  he  asked 
for  water,  and  a  canteen  was  handed  to  him.  "  As  he  took  it  a  wounded  soldier 
lying  next  to  him  begged  '  for  God's  sake  give  me  some.'  He  passed  the  can 
teen  untouched  to  the  man,  who  drank  every  drop  it  contained.  Wilkeson 
smiled  on  the  man,  turned  slightly  and  died."J 

While  General  Ames,  who  succeeded  Barlow,  was  contending  with  Gordon 
and  anxiously  watching  the  brigades  of  Hays  and  Hoke,  which,  unopposed, 
were  sweeping  past  his  right,  Schimmelfennig's  two  brigades  were  fighting 

*  These  woods  have  been  cut  off  since  the  battle. 

t  Official  report  of  Gen.   Carl  Schurz,  commanding  the  Eleventh  Corps. 

J   BattleTand  Leaders  of  the  Civil  War;  Century  Company,  New  York. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  21 

with  Doles'  Georgia  Brigade  of  Rodes'  Division.  Schimmelfennig's  left  was 
held  by  his  First  Brigade,  under  command  of  Col.  George  von  Amsberg,  of 
the  Forty-fifth  New  York.  This  regiment,  Lieut.  Col.  Adolphus  Dobke,  ar 
riving  on  the  field  at  a  double-quick,  was  deployed  as  skirmishers,  under  fire 
of  Early' s  batteries  on  the  York  Road.  Going  into  position  afterwards  near 
the  right  of  the  First  Corps,  the  left  wing  of  the  Forty-fifth  was  enabled  to 
deliver  an  effective  fire  into  the  flank  of  Rodes'  troops  as  they  advanced  to 
the  attack  on  Robinson's  Division. 

The  One  hundred  and  fifty-seventh  New  York,  of  von  Amsberg's  Brigade, 
was  posted  on  the  left  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  This  regiment,  led  by  Col. 
Philip  P.  Brown,  Jr.,  encountered  a  severe  fire  from  both  infantry  and  artillery, 
which  told  with  fearful  effect  upon  its  ranks.  Over  200  of  its  men  were  struck 
down  here,  and  six  officers,  including  Lieut.  Col.  George  Arrowsmith,  were 
killed.  In  its  encounter  with  Doles'  Georgia  Brigade,  the  One  hundred  and 
fifty-seventh  fought  its  way  forward  to  the  farthest  point  reached  by  any  regi 
ment  on  the  Eleventh  Corps  line. 

When  it  became  evident  that  Barlow's  Division  would  have  to  yield  its 
ground,  Schimmelfennig's  Second  Brigade,  under  Col.  W.  Krzyzanowski,  was 
ordered  forward  to  its  support  and  placed  on  its  left.  The  One  hundred  and 
nineteenth  New  York,  of  this  brigade,  was  hotly  engaged  here.  This  regi 
ment,  commanded  by  Col.  John  T.  Lockman,  held  its  ground  for  a  long  time, 
receiving  volleys  of  musketry  in  swift  succession  and  suffering  severely  from 
shot  and  shell.  Colonel  Lockman  fell  wounded,  and  the  command  devolved 
on  Lieut.  Col.  Edward  F.  Lloyd.  Lieutenants  Raseman  and  Trost  were  killed, 
and  Captain  Trumpleman  \vas  mortally  wounded. 

In  addition  to  its  infantry,  the  Eleventh  Corps  took  four  of  its  batteries  into 
this  action,  one  of  them  being  the  Thirteenth  New  York  Battery,  Lieut.  Wil 
liam  Wheeler  commanding.  Wheeler  went  into  action  with  his  four  three- 
inch  rifles  near  the  left  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  and  well  to  the  front,  where 
he  replied  spiritedly  for  some  time  to  the  enemy's  artillery.  As  Gordon's  in 
fantry  advanced,  he  turned  his  right  section  on  them  and  fired  into  their  ad 
vancing  column  with  canister,  but  was  unable  to  check  them.  He  did  not  leave 
this  position  until  the  enemy  was  almost  in  the  rear  of  his  battery.  Retiring 
to  a  second  position  near  the  town  he  held  it  until  his  infantry  supports  were 
withdrawn.  While  moving  across  the  field  to  this  point  a  shot  dismounted  one 
of  his  pieces.  Slinging  the  gun  under  the  limber  with  the  prolonge  rope, 
he  carried  it  some  distance  until  the  prolonge  broke,  when  he  was  obliged  to 
abandon  the  piece.  This  gun  was  recovered  on  the  5th,  the  enemy  evidently 
having  no  use  for  it  in  its  unserviceable  condition. 

At  this  stage  of  the  battle  the  strong  pressure  of  superior  numbers,  exerted 
all  along  the  line,  forced  the  Union  troops  to  yield  ground  at  places.  There 
was  a  lack  of  concerted  action  in  the  movements  of  the  two  corps,  and.  in 
some  instances,  between  divisions  and  brigades.  General  Buford,  in  his  de 
spatch,  dated  3:20  p.  m.,  said:  "At  the  present  moment  the  battle  is  raging 
on  the  road  to  Cashtown,  and  within  short  cannon-range  of  this  town.  Gen 
eral  Reynolds  was  killed  early  this  morning.  In  my  opinion  there  seems  to 
be  no  directing  person." 


22  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Seeing  the  troops  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  falling  back  before  the  impetuous 
attack  of  Doles  and  Gordon,  General  Schurz  sent  an  aide  to  General  Howard 
with  a  request  for  reinforcements,  asking  that  one  of  von  Steinwehr's  brigades 
be  sent  to  his  assistance.  Howard  replied  that  he  could  not  spare  any  troops, 
but  did  afterwards  permit  von  Steinwehr  to  push  out  Colonel  Coster's  brigade 
beyond  the  town.  When  this  fine  body  of  troops  reached  the  ground,  the 
Eleventh  Corps  was  retiring  rapidly  and  in  some  confusion,  having  received 
orders  from  General  Howard  to  withdraw  to  Cemetery  Hill,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  town.  Coster's  four  regiments,  having  arrived  too  late  to  be  of 
any  assistance  in  checking  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  could  do  nothing  except 
to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  corps. 

Three  regiments  of  the  brigade  deployed  just  outside  the  town,  near  the 
railroad  station,  where,  assisted  by  a  battery,  they  succeeded  in  checking  the 
enemy  long  enough  to  permit  Barlow's  Division  to  enter  the  town  without 
being  seriously  molested  on  its  retreat.  Coster's  Brigade  was  confronted  here 
by  the  two  brigades  of  Hays  and  Hoke,  which,  relieving  Gordon,  had  advanced 
thus  far  without  encountering  any  opposition,  having  passed  around  the  right 
flank  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  In  company  with  the  retiring  regiments  of 
Schimmelfennig's  (Third)  Division,  a  part  of  Coster's  command  made  a  gal 
lant  fight,  the  officers  and  men  displaying  the  highest  courage  and  determina 
tion.  Coster's  own  regiment  —  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-fourth  New  York  — 
which  under  his  care  had  grown  to  be  a  model  of  drill  and  discipline,  was  com 
manded  in  this  action  by  Lieut.  Col.  Allan  H.  Jackson,  an  officer  of  well-known 
courage  and  ability.  This  regiment  held  the  right  of  Coster's  line,  where  it 
was  exposed  on  both  front  and  flank  to  the  fire  of  Hoke's  North  Carolina 
Brigade,  leaving  here  over  200  men,  killed  and  wounded. 

The  One  hundred  and  fifty-fourth  New  York,  a  Chautauqua  County  regi 
ment,  under  Lieut.  Col.  D.  B.  Allen,  was  next  in  line,  and  though  suffering  less 
from  the  enemy's  fire,  it  lost  178  men,  captured  in  its  retreat  through  the  out 
skirts  of  Gettysburg.  A  dead  soldier  of  this  regiment,  who  was  killed  in  the 
first  day's  fighting,  was  found  on  the  field  after  the  battle  was  over,  and  in  his 
hand  was  an  ambrotype  picture  of  three  children  upon  whose  faces  his  last 
look  had  been  fixed,  and  on  which  his  sightless  eyes  were  still  directed.  He 
was  buried  without  being  identified;  but  copies  of  the  picture  were  made  and 
widely  circulated  throughout  the  North,  one  of  which  reached  Cattaraugus 
County,  N.  Y.,  where  the  faces  were  recognized  as  the  children  of  Amos  Humis- 
ton,  an  orderly  sergeant  in  the  One  hundred  and  fifty-fourth  New  York.  This 
man  was  a  typical  American  soldier.  In  battle,  daring  and  brave;  in  death, 
tender  and  true. 

When  Heth's  Division  gained  the  ground  on  which  the  brigades  of  Stone, 
Meredith,  and  Biddle  had  made  their  prolonged  and  gallant  resistance,  it 
halted  and  allowed  Fender's  Division  to  take  the  advance.  The  right  of 
Fender's  Division,  held  then  by  Lane's  North  Carolina"  Brigade,  extended  far 
beyond  Doubleday's  left,  and  threatened  to  envelop  that  flank  with  disastrous 
effect.  But  Buford's  watchful  eyes  detected  the  presence  of  the  enemy  at  this 
critical  juncture,  and,  ordering  Gamble's  cavalry  forward  at  a  trot,  he  reached 
the  point  in  time  to  dismount  and  deploy  half  the  brigade  behind  a  stone  wall 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  23 

under  cover  of  some  trees.  From  this  position  their  fire,  delivered  at  short 
carbine  range,  was  so  deadly  that  Lane's  regiments  hesitated  and  made  no 
farther  advance. 

But  Fender's  two  other  brigades  —  Perrin's  and  Scales'  —  pushed  on 
towards  the  Seminary  where,  protected  by  its  slight  barricade  of  rails,  the  left 
wing  of  the  First  Corps  was  making  its  final  stand.  As  these  two  Confederate 
brigades  with  their  long  front  and  well-aligned  ranks  moved  over  the  ridge 
and  down  the  slope  opposite  the  Seminary,  they  were  met  by  a  deadly  infantry 
fire  from  the  troops  of  Wadsworth's  and  Rowley's  divisions,  which  had  fallen 
back  to  this  last  position. 

Doubleday's  chief  of  artillery,  Col.  Charles  J.  Wainwright,  had  posted  several 
batteries  here.  At  one  point  in  the  line  Doubleday  and  Wainwright  had  con 
centrated  twelve  guns  in  so  small  a  space  that  the  pieces  were  hardly  five 
yards  apart.  Stewart's  famous  battery  —  B,  Fourth  U.  S. —  was  placed  farther 
to  the_  right,  at  the  railroad  cut,  with  three  guns  on  either  side  of  it,  from 
which  position  it  threw  double  canister  into  the  enemy's  line,  at  seventy-five 
yards  distance,  with  terrible  effect.  Stewart's  cannoneers  made  a  wonderful 
fight  here,  their  losses  at  this  point  being,  with  one  exception,  the  greatest 
sustained  by  any  battery  during  the  three  days'  fighting  at  Gettysburg.  He 
was  supported  by  the  Sixth  Wisconsin  and  Eleventh  Pennsylvania,  the  latter 
regiment  forming  then  the  left  of  Robinson's  Division,  which  had  also  fallen 
back  to  the  Seminary  ridge.  Stewart's  guns  at  one  time  enfiladed  Scales'  line 
with  such  effect  that  this  brigade  halted  for  a  time  in  its  advance.  General 
Scales  was  wounded  here,  and  every  field  officer  in  his  brigade,  except  one,  was 
killed  or  wounded.  Colonel  Perrin  says,  in  his  official  report,  that  while  cross 
ing  the  last  fence,  about  200  yards  from  the  Seminary,  his  brigade  received 
"the  most  destructive  fire  of  musketry"  he  had  ever  been  exposed  to;  and 
Per.-in  and  the  South  Carolina  Brigade  were  good  judges  of  what  constituted 
a  hot  musketry  fire. 

The  last  stand  made  by  Doubleday  and  his  men  was  marked  by  the  same 
soldierly  action  that  had  characterized  the  First  Corps  throughout  this  remark 
able  battle  of  the  first  day.  But  Pender's  men  were  American  soldiers  too; 
and  Doubleday,  beaten  in  the  unequal  contest,  reluctantly  gave  the  order  for 
his  corps  to  fall  back  through  the  town  to  Cemetery  Hill.  The  Confederates 
followed  in  close  pursuit. 

The  streets  were  already  occupied  by  the  regiments  of  the  Eleventh  Corps 
on  thei'r  way  to  the  same  position,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  First 
Corps  batteries  made  their  way  through  Gettysburg  without  losing  their  guns. 
One  piece  belonging  to  Reynolds'  Battery  was  lost  just  before  entering  the 
town,  four  of  its  horses  being  shot  down  while  the  piece  was  being  hauled  off 
the  field.  Colonel  Wainwright  reports  officially  that  not  the  slightest  blame 
can  be  attributed  to  the  battery  for  the  loss  of  this  gun.  The  Eleventh  Corps 
lost  two  brass  guns  belonging  to  Heckman's  Battery,  which  was  assisting 
Coster's  Brigade  in  covering  the  retreat. 

The  retreat  through  the  town  did  not  degenerate  into  a  rout  or  panic,  and 
the  fifty-eight  pieces  of  artillery  that  had  been  in  action  with  the  two  corps 
were  withdrawn  to  Cemetery  Hill,  with  no  loss  except  that  mentioned.  About 


24  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

eighty  artillery  horses  were  killed,  the  most  of  them  hit  while  hauling  the  guns 
over  the  short  open  space  between  Seminary  Ridge  and  the  town,  the  Con 
federates  pouring  in  a  fire  at  that  time  from  three  sides,  while  the  retreating 
infantry  were  unable  to  make  anything  more  than  a  feeble  reply. 

While  passing  through  the  streets  some  of  the  batteries  retired  their  last 
section  by  fixed  prolonge  —  a  rope  used  to  connect  the  gun  with  the  limber 
—  and  by  firing  occasionally  made  the  enemy  cautious  and  hesitating  in  his 
pursuit.  In  many  instances,  also,  infantry  regiments,  finding  their  way  ob 
structed  by  other  troops,  formed  across  the  street  and  by  their  fire  held  the 
enemy  at  bay.  A  regiment  of  the  Iron  Brigade  moved  slowly  and  in  good 
order  through  a  side  street,  halting  and  facing  about  at  times  to  fire  a  volley 
at  their  pursuers  and  give  "  three  cheers  for  the  Old  Flag  and  the  Sixth 
Wisconsin." 

Still, the  pursuing  Confederates  kept  up  a  steady  fire, and  the  bullets  whistled 
through  the  streets  in  all  directions.  The  roadways  and  sidewalks  were  soon 
strewn  with  dead  or  wounded  men.  Chaplain  Howell,  of  the  Ninetieth  Penn 
sylvania,  who  was  among  the  killed,  fell  on  the  steps  of  the  Lutheran  Church 
on  Chambersburg  Street,  where  he  was  engaged  in  hospital  work.* 

Doubleday,  in  his  official  report,  says  of  the  First  Corps,  that  the  whole  re 
treat  from  the  commencement  was  most  creditable  to  the  troops  engaged. 
There  was  no  hurry  and  but  little  confusion,  the  regiments  falling  back  coolly, 
and  turning,  from  time  to  time,  to  check  the  enemy's  advance  by  volleys  of 
musketry.  From  the  admixture  of  so  many  regiments  at  the  Seminary,  it 
became  impossible  to  reorganize  each  command  in  good  order  without  causing 

*  The  tablet,  erected  at  the  Lutheran  Church,  in  memory  of  Chaplain  Howell,  states 
that  he  was  "  cruelly  shot,"  a  phrase  liable  to  create  a  wrong  impression  as  to  the  facts. 
An  eye  witness  of  the  affair,  Capt.  Arch.  B.  Snow,  of  Boonville,  N.  Y.,  gives  in  a  recent 
letter  the  following  version  of  the  shooting: 

Snow  was  then  a  sergeant  in  the  Ninety-seventh  New  York,  and  knew  Chaplain  Howell 
by  sight,  as  both  belonged  to  the  same  brigade.  Snow  was  shot  through  the  jaw,  and 
went  to  the  Lutheran  Church  Hospital,  where  his  wound  was  dressed.  He  then  started 
to  leave  the  hospital,  and  passed  through  the  front  door  of  the  church  just  behind  Chap 
lain  Howell,  at  the  time  when  the  advance  skirmishers  of  the  Confederates  were  coming 
up  the  street  on  a  run.  Howell,  in  addition  to  his  shoulder  straps  and  uniform,  wore 
the  straight  dress  sword  prescribed  in  Army  Regulations  for  chaplains,  but  which  was 
very  seldom  worn  by  them.  The  first  skirmisher  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  church  steps 
just  as  the  chaplain  and  Snow  came  out.  Placing  one  foot  on  the  first  step  the  soldier 
called  on  the  chaplain  to  surrender;  but  Howell,  instead  of  throwing  up  his  hands 
promptly  and  uttering  the  usual  "I  surrender,"  attempted  some  dignified  explanation 
to  the  effect  that  he  was  a  non-combatant,  and  as  such  was  exempt  from  capture,  when 
a  shot  from  the  skirmisher's  rifle  ended  the  controversy.  A  Confederate  lieutenant,  who 
came  up  at  this  time,  placed  a  guard  at  the  church  door,  and,  to  the  protests  of  the 
surgeons  against  shooting  a  chaplain,  replied  that  the  dead  officer  was  armed,  in  proof 
of  which  he  pointed  to  the  chaplain's  sash,  and  light,  rapier-like  sword  belted  around 
the  chaplain's  body.  The  man  who  fired  the  shot  stood  on  the  exact  spot  where  the 
memorial  tablet  has  since  been  erected,  and  Chaplain  Howell  fell  upon  the  landing  at 
the  top  of  the  steps. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  25 

a  delay  which  would  have  exposed  the  men  to  certain  destruction.  Double- 
day  states  further  that  he  saw  no  running  or  undue  haste;  that  all  the  troops 
passed  steadily  on,  although  the  enemy  was  firing  into  them  from  the  side 
streets;  and  that  all  re-formed  promptly  on  their  arrival  at  Cemetery  Hill,  and 
in  a  very  short  time  were  again  ready  for  service. 

The  One  hundred  and  nineteenth  New  York,  of  Schurz's  Division,  halted  at 
the  foot  of  Washington  Street,  where  it  held  the  enemy  in  check  until  the 
wagons  and  ambulances  had  passed  safely  to  the  rear,  assisted  by  a  section 
of  Dilger's  Battery  which  unlimbered  at  the  Diamond,  a  public  square  near 
the  centre  of  the  town.  Having  held  the  position  as  long  as  possible,  the  regi 
ment  resumed  its  march  to  the  hill  in  excellent  order. 

In  retreating,  the  Eleventh  Corps  entered  the  town  on  its  north  side,  while 
the  First  Corps  came  in  on  the  west,  a  fortunate  occurrence;  still,  there  was 
seme  confusion  and  consequent  demoralization  in  places.  Some  regiments 
were  broken  into  detachments,  and  nearly  all  were  ignorant  of  the  direction 
they  were  to  take  in  order  to  reach  Cemetery  Hill.  They  had  never  heard  of 
it  before,  and  the  men  of  the  First  Corps  had  not  even  seen  it,  having  reached 
the  battlefield  that  morning  without  going  through  the  town.  Detachments, 
and  sometimes  regiments,  were  trapped  in  cross  streets  or  alleys,  where  many 
of  their  number  were  captured.  About  2,500  men,  including  145  officers, 
were  made  prisoners  during  the  retreat  to  the  town  and  the  passage  through 
the  place. 

The  Forty-fifth  New  York  finding  the  public  square  in  the  centre  of  the 
town  densely  crowded  with  disorganized  troops,  striving  to  enter  the  street 
leading  to  Cemetery  Hill,  turned  into  a  side  street  to  avoid  this  crowd.  Here 
it  encountered  shots  from  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  to  escape  which  the  regi 
ment  turned  into  an  alley  that  proved  to  have  no  exit,  and  the  men  found 
themselves  entrapped.  Part  escaped  over  fences  and  through  houses,  but 
14  officers  and  164  men  were  captured. 

Colonel  Wheelock,  of  the  Ninety-seventh  New  York  was  taken  prisoner 
while  passing  through  the  town,  but  escaping  he  returned  to  his  regiment, 
where  he  was  received  by  his  men  with  enthusiastic  cheers. 

General  Schimmelfennig,  closely  pursued  by  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  ran 
through  gardens,  climbed  over  fences,  and  when  almost  caught  eluded  his 
pursuers  by  dodging  suddenly  into  a  woodshed  attached  to  a  house  on  Balti 
more  Street,  where  he  hastily  covered  himself  with  sticks  of  firewood,  under 
which  he  lay  concealed  for  three  days,  emerging  only  when  he  was  informed 
by  the  people  of  the  house  that  the  Confederates  had  left  the  place.  The  good 
woman  who  assisted,  sheltered  and  fed  the  unlucky  general  at  that  critical 
time  takes  delight  in  showing  the  battlefield  tourists  the  scene  of  this  incident, 
and  relating  its  details. 

Many  families  in  Gettysburg  were  represented  in  the  Union  Army  by  a  father, 
son,  or  brother;  and  so  when  the  blue  coats  came  by  on  their  way  to  Cemetery 
Hill,  many  doors  and  windows  were  open,  where  hungry,  thirsty  soldiers 
received  food  and  cool,  refreshing  drinks  from  kindly  hands. 

The  safe  retreat  through  the  town,  accomplished  without  serious  disaster, 
forms  the  most  remarkable  event  in  this  day  of  remarkable  events. 


26  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  General  Howard  had  placed  von  Steinwehr's 
Division  on  Cemetery  Hill,  where  one  brigade  of  this  division  remained  dur 
ing  the  battle,  the  other  having  been  sent  forward  into  action  in  response  to  the 
call  for  reinforcements.  Von  Steinwehr,  appreciating  the  strategic  importance 
and  commanding  position  of  the  ground  assigned  to  him,  placed  his  remain 
ing  infantry  —  the  brigade  of  Col.  Orland  Smith  —  around  the  base  of  the  hill, 
the  main  line  being  posted  behind  stone  walls  and  fences,  with  skirmishers 
occupying  the  houses  along  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  He  placed  Wiedrich's 
New  York  Battery,  with  its  six  three-inch  rifles,  on  the  hill  overlooking  the 
town  and  opposite  the  cemetery  gates,  all  of  the  corps  artillery  except  this 
battery  having  been  sent  into  the  fight  in  reply  to  the  repeated  calls  for  as 
sistance.  Wiedrich's  pieces  were  engaged  at  long  range  at  intervals  during  the 
battle,  and  when  Early's  troops  pressed  too  near  Cemetery  Hill  in  their  pursuit 
he  used  shell  and  afterwards  canister  on  them  with  good  effect,  which  com 
bined  with  the  fire  of  von  Steinwehr's  sharpshooters  posted  in  the  brick  houses 
near  the  Cemetery  effectually  checked  their  advance  and  kept  them  at  a  safe 
distance. 

As  the  retreating  soldiers,  exhausted  with  their  long  hours  of  marching  and 
fighting,  streamed  up  the  slopes  of  Cemetery  Hill  their  eyes  were  gladdened 
and  their  hearts  encouraged  by  the  sight  of  Wiedrich's  cannon  and  the  waving 
flags  of  Smith's  regiments,  all  in  readiness  to  repel  any  attack  that  might  be 
made.  They  were  met  here  by  General  Hancock  and  his  staff  officers,  who 
directed  them  to  the  various  positions  which  had  been  assigned  to  their  re 
spective  commands.  General  Howard  states  that  the  retreating  column  reached 
Cemetery  Hill  at  4:30  p.  m.;  Colonel  Gates  of  the  Eightieth  New  York  — 
Biddle's  Brigade  —  made  a  note  in  his  diary  that  his  regiment  arrived  there  at 
5:33  p.  m.  These  two  hours  may  indicate  the  first  and  last  arrivals. 

The  Eleventh  Corps  as  it  arrived  was  placed  in  position  around  von  Stein 
wehr.  Wadsworth's  Division  —  First  Corps  —  under  orders  from  General 
Hancock,  occupied  Gulp's  Hill,  or  that  part  of  it  on  the  right  of  the  Eleventh 
Corps,  and  commenced  throwing  up  earthworks.  Robinson's  and  Double 
day's  divisions  were  sent  to  the  left,  Robinson  forming  line  on  Cemetery  Ridge, 
facing  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  while  Doubleday  was  posted  in  the  rear  of  the 
Cemetery  and  the  Eleventh  Corps.  Buford,  having  reunited  his  two  cavalry 
brigades,  formed  his  division  in  front  of  Cemetery  Ridge,  southwest  of  the 
town,  near  the  low  ground  east  of  Stevens'  Run,  where  he  occupied  an  ad 
vanced  but  firm  position. 

The  Seventh  Indiana  Infantry,  of  Cutler's  Brigade,  Wadsworth's  Division, 
had  been  guarding  a  wagon  train  during  the  day,  but  joined  its  command  at 
Gulp's  Hill  on  the  evening  of  July  ist.  As  this  regiment  had  not  been  engaged 
during  the  battle  and  was  comparatively  fresh,  it  was  detailed  for  picket  duty 
and  ordered  to  guard  the  approaches  to  Gulp's  Hill.  During  the  night  it  re 
pelled  a  reconnoitring  party  of  the  enemy  which  had  been  sent  out  from  John 
son's  Division.  Johnson  reported  to  Ewell  that  the  hill  was  held  in  force,  and 
so  its  contemplated  occupation  was  abandoned.  The  presence  of  the  Seventh 
Indiana  on  this  part  of  the  line  was  a  fortunate  occurrence,  and  had  an  im 
portant  influence  in  determining  events  on  that  part  of  the  field. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  27 

Order  and  quiet  quickly  followed  the  arrival  of  the  retreating  troops  at 
Cemetery  Hill,  and  the  men,  actuated  by  a  calm  determination,  awaited  another 
attack. 

But  the  attack  did  not  come.  Heth,  Fender,  and  Rodes  had  lost  over  5,000 
men  in  their  fight  with  the  First  Corps,  and  bivouacking  at  the  Seminary,  or 
in  the  streets  of  the  town,  they  evinced  no  disposition  for  any  more  fighting 
that  day.  Early's  three  brigades,  together  with  Doles'  Brigade,  lost  765  men 
in  their  fight  with  the  Eleventh  Corps,  this  comparatively  small  loss  being 
officially  reported,  in  detail,  by  regiments.  Early  and  Doles  having  lost  but 
few  men,  pushed  into  the  town  in  pursuit.  Early  was  disposed  to  attack  Ceme 
tery  Hill  without  delay,  but  his  reserve  brigade  —  Smith's  —  remained  outside 
the  town  beyond  Rock  Creek,  Smith  reporting  that  Union  troops  were  ap 
proaching  that  part  of  the  field.*  Early  was  obliged  to  send  Gordon's  Brigade 
to  Smith's  support,  although  Early,  as  he  expressed  it,  had  no  faith  in  Smith's 
alarming  reports.  Early  sent  word  to  General  Hill  that  if  he  would  send  up  a 
division  they  would  carry  the  heights;  but  Anderson's  Division  was  still  on 
the  road,  and  Hill's  two  other  divisions  were  in  no  condition  then  to  make  an 
assault. 

Ewell  informed  Early  that  Johnson's  Division  was  coming  up,  and  it  was 
decided  to  await  the  coming  of  these  troops  before  resuming  operations.  Gen 
eral  Lee,  who  had  arrived  in  time  to  witness  Hill's  final  attack  at  the  Seminary, 
instructed  Ewell  to  carry  Cemetery  Hill  if  he  found  it  practicable,  but  at  the 
same  time  restricted  Ewell  with  the  further  instruction  that  he  should  avoid 
a  general  engagement  until  the  arrival  of  the  other  divisions  of  the  army.  But 
Longstreet's  entire  corps  was  miles  away;  and  the  absent  divisions  belonging 
to  the  corps  of  Hill  and  Ewell  —  Anderson's  and  Johnson's  —  did  not  arrive 
until  nightfall  had  terminated  the  operations  of  the  day. 

In  the  meantime,  within  the  Union  lines  important  events  were  occurring 
which  justified  the  cautious  hesitation  of  Lee  and  the  Confederate  chieftains. 
While  the  retreating  troops  of  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps  were  filing  into 
their  positions,  the  Twelfth  Corps  — the  corps  that  never  lost  a  color  or  a 
-  was  arriving  on  the  Baltimore  Pike ;  and,  soon  after,  Sickles'  veterans  of  the 
Third  Corps,  the  men  with  the  Kearny  patch  upon  their  caps,  were  seen  com 
ing  up  from  the  Emmitsburg  Road.    About  the  same  time,  three  regiments  of 
Stannard's  Vermont  Brigade,  a  strong,  efficient  body  of  troops,  arrived  on  the 
field  and  went  into  position  on  Cemetery  Hill.     It  would  be  useless  for  Lee  to 
attack  now,  and  confidence  took  the  place  of  doubt  along  the  entire  Union  line. 

Maj.  Gen.  George  G.  Meade  was  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
having  been  appointed  only  three  days  before.  General  Hooker,  the  previous 
commander,  was  relieved,  June  28th,  at  his  own  request.  Although  a  battle 
was  imminent  he  felt  constrained  to  take  this  action  on  account  of  the  un 
friendly  attitude  of  the  War  Department.  General  Meade,  who  was  immediately 
appointed  in  Hooker's  place,  was  at  this  time  in  command  of  the  Fifth  Corps, 
although  not  the  senior  general  in  rank.  He  was  a  man  of  expierience  and 
acknowledged  ability,  having  served  from  the  beginning  of  the  war  with 

*  Williams'  Division  of  the  Twelfth  Corps. 


28  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

meritorious  distinction  as  a  brigade,  division,  and  corps  commander.*  His  ap 
pointment  as  commander  was  accepted  by  the  army  without  criticism  or  com 
plaint,  and,  in  many  quarters,  with  outspoken  satisfaction.  A  change  of  com 
mander  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  occurred  so  often  that  it  failed  to 
occasion  anything  more  than  a  passing  comment. 

On  July  ist,  Meade's  headquarters  were  at  Taneytown,  thirteen  miles  south 
of  Gettysburg.  In  his  orders  issued  that  day  to  the  various  corps  commanders 
he  outlined  a  plan  for  a  withdrawal  of  the  army  to  the  line  of  Pipe  Creek,  a 
small  stream  about  three  miles  south  of  Taneytown ;  but  he  stated,  also,  that 
developments  might  cause  him  to  assume  the  offensive  from  their  present 
positions.  The  instructions  relating  to  Pipe  Creek  were  sent  to  the  corps 
commanders  to  direct  their  movements  in  case  a  concentration  was  not  di 
rected  elsewhere. t 

Meade  was  promptly  informed  of  the  encounter  at  Gettysburg,  and  at  one 
o'clock  received  the  news  that  Reynolds  had  been  killed.  On  the  advice  of 
General  Butterfield,  his  chief  of  staff,  he  directed  General  Hancock  to  go  to 
the  front  and  assume  command  of  the  corps  assembled  there,  viz.,  the  First 
and  Eleventh ;  and  the  Third,  also,  at  Emmitsburg.  He  further  instructed 
Hancock,  that  if  he  thought  the  ground  and  position  there  a  suitable  one  on 
which  to  fight  a  battle,  to  report  accordingly,  upon  which  all  the  troops  would 
then  be  ordered  there.  At  i  :io  p.  m.,  Hancock  was  on  the  road,  riding  in  an 
ambulance  part  of  the  way,  so  that  he  might  study  some  maps  which  he  took 
with  him. 

Hancock  arrived  at  Gettysburg  while  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps  were 
retiring  through  the  town.  He  at  once  gave  orders  for  establishing  a  line  of 
battle  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  with  skirmishers  occupying  that  part  of  the  town  in 
the  immediate  front.  In  forming  the  line  he  was  assisted  by  Generals  Howard, 
Warren,  and  Buford.  As  the  Twelfth  Corps  arrived,  Williams'  Division,  under 
orders  from  General  Slocum,  left  the  Baltimore  Pike  before  reaching  Rock 
Creek,  with  the  intention  of  occupying  Wolf  Hill,  which  was  found  to  be  in 

*  George  Gordon  Meade  was  born  December  30,  1815,  and  so  was  forty-seven  years 
old  at  Gettysburg.  Graduated  from  West  Point  in  1835,  he  served  in  the  Seminole 
War,  and  on  General  Taylor's  staff  in  the  Mexican  War,  during  which  he  participated 
in  the  fighting  at  Palo  Alto,  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  and  Monterey.  At  the  outbreak  of 
the  Rebellion  he  was  a  captin  of  topographical  engineers;  but  in  August,  1861,  he  was 
commissioned  as  brigadier  general,  and  in  November,  1862,  as  major  general  of  volun 
teers.  Prior  to  Gettysburg  he  was  actively  engaged  at  the  battles  of  Dranesville, 
Mechanicsville,  Glendale  (Seven  Days'  Battle),  and  Manassas,  as  a  general  of  brigade; 
at  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  and  Fredericksburg,  as  a  division  general;  and  at  Chan- 
cellorsville,  as  n.  corps  commander.  He  was  wounded  at  Glendale,  and  at  Antietam- 
He  commanded  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  from  Gettysburg  until  the  end  of  the  war, 
after  which  he  was  made  a  major  general  of  the  regular  army. 

f  For  General  Meade's  order  of  June  3Oth,  directing  the  movements  of  the  various 
corps,  see  Official  Records,  vol.  XXVII,  part  III,  p.  416;  and  for  the  order  of  July  ist, 
relating  to  the  Pipe  Creek  line,  see  same  volume,  p.  458. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  29 

possession  of  the  enemy.  Preparations  were  immediately  made  for  attacking 
this  position,  but  when  it  was  found  that  the  Union  troops  had  fallen  back 
through  the  town,  the  attack  was  abandoned.  The  division  then  returned  to 
the  Baltimore  Pike,  where  it  bivouacked  for  the  night.  Geary's  Division  of 
the  Twelfth  Corps  was  ordered  by  General  Hancock  to  occupy  the  ground  to 
the  right  of  and  near  Round  Top. 

Hancock  then  sent  word  to  General  Meade  that  the  position  was  a  very 
strong  one,  but  with  the  disadvantage  that  it  might  be  easily  turned.  He  left 
to  General  Meade  the  responsibility  of  deciding  whether  the  battle  should  be 
fought  at  Gettysburg,  or  at  the  place  first  selected  by  General  Meade.  Gen 
eral  Slocum,  who  had  been  superintending  the  movements  of  Williams'  Divi 
sion  at  Rock  Creek,  having  now  arrived  at  Cemetery  Hill,  Hancock  transferred 
the  command  to  him  about  six  o'clock,  and  then  returned  to  Taneytown  where 
he  reported  in  person  to  the  general  commanding. 

The  Twelfth  Corps  was  encamped  on  the  morning  of  July  ist,  at  a  point  one 
mile  from  Littlestown,  on  the  road  leading  to  Hanover,  having  reached  this 
spot  the  previous  night.  It  was  about  twelve  miles  from  Gettysburg.  On  the 
morning  of  the  battle  the  corps,  in  accordance  with  instructions  from  General 
Meade,  moved  to  Two  Taverns  to  await  further  orders  there.  This  place  is 
five  miles  southeast  of  Gettysburg.  In  the  afternoon,  while  the  troops  were 
resting  in  the  fields  along  the  roadside,  a  citizen  came  down  the  road  from 
Gettysburg  and  reported  that  a  battle  was  being  fought  there.  General  Slocum 
immediately  sent  Major  Guindon,  of  his  staff,  with  an  escort  of  mounted  order 
lies,  to  Gettysburg  to  learn  the  truth  of  the  story. 

The  report  of  this  citizen  was  the  first  intimation  Slocum  received  that  there 
was  any  fighting  "  at  the  place  called  Gettysburg."  He  had  heard  no  can 
nonading,  for  the  wind  that  day  was  blowing  to  the  north.*  The  distant 
sound  of  artillery  was  noticed,  however,  by  some  who  were  at  the  head  of  the 
column  or  in  quiet  places  on  high  ground;  but  it  attracted  little  attention  from 
the  veterans  who  were  accustomed  to  regard  such  sounds  as  among  the  usual 
preliminaries  on  each  campaign.  The  citizen's  story  was  confirmed  immediately 
after  by  a  despatch  from  General  Howard.  On  hearing  the  important  news, 
riocum  promptly  issued  a  command  for  the  corps  to  push  forward  without  de 
lay,  although  he  had  received  orders  from  General  Meade  that  day  to  proceed 
to  Two  Taverns  only,  his  orders  stating  further  that  if  the  enemy  assumed  the 
offensive  he  was  to  withdraw  to  a  specified  line  of  battle  on  Pipe  Creek.  But 
Slocum  exercised  the  discretion  allowable  in  such  cases,  and,  instead  of  with 
drawing,  started  with  his  men  to  Gettysburg.  General  Geary,  whose  division 
had  the  lead,  states  in  his  official  report  that  his  column  started  at  2  p.  m.,  and 
advanced  rapidly  on  the  road  to  the  town;  and  General  Williams,  in  his  report. 

*  The  same  acoustic  phenomenon  occurred  on  the  next  day  when  the  Sixth  Corps 
traversed  this  road.  Sergt.  A.  T.  Brewer,  in  his  oration  at  the  dedication  of  the  Sixty- 
tirst  Pennsylvania  monument,  says:  "  Miles  ahead,  on  the  side  of  the  mountain  which 
had  long  been  in  sight,  shells  were  seen  bursting  high  in  the  air,  with  red,  angry  flashes. 
Soon,  smoke  was  observed  curling  along  above  the  trees  and  floating  away  to  the  north, 
and  yet  up  to  this  time  not  a  cannon  had  been  heard.  Directly  the  familiar  roar  of  battle 
began  to  be  heard  indistinctly."  (Pennsylvania  at  Gettysburg;  vol.  I,  p.  350.) 


30  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

says  that  when  the  information  of  the  engagement  was  received  his  division 
moved  rapidly  up  the  Pike.  Colonel  Crane,  of  the  One  hundred  and  seventh 
New  York,  a  careful,  observant  officer,  states  officially  that  his  regiment  —  in 
Williams'  Division  —  arrived  on  the  field  about  4  p.  m.,  after  a  hard  march. 
While  on  the  road  to  the  front  Slocum  met  his  staff  officer,  who  was  re 
turning.  Major  Guindon  confirmed  the  citizen's  story,  and  informed  Slocum 
that  he  had  met  Generals  Hancock  and  Howard,  both  of  whom  sent  an  urgent 
request  that  the  Twelfth  Corps  push  forward  as  fast  as  possible.  Before  reach 
ing  Rock  Creek,  General  Slocum  sent  the  following  despatch: 

July  i,  1863,— 3:35  p.  m. 
General  Hancock  or  General  Howard: 

I  am  moving  the  Twelfth  Corps  so  as  to  come  in  about  one  mile  to  the  right 
of  Gettysburg. 

H.  W.  SLOCUM, 

Major  General. 

On  arriving  at  Rock  Creek,  Williams'  Division  turned  off  to  the  right  and 
moved  against  Wolf  Hill.  Colonel  Colgrove,  of  the  Twenty-seventh  Indiana, 
who  had  the  advance,  says  in  his  report  that  this  movement  was  made  "  ap 
parently  with  the  intention  of  flanking  the  enemy's  left."  But  on  learning  that 
the  army  had  withdrawn  to  the  east  side  of  the  town  Slocum  ordered  Williams 
back  to  the  Baltimore  Pike,  and,  going  to  Cemetery  Hill  himself,  assumed  com 
mand  of  the  field  by  right  of  seniority,  Geary's  Division,  in  the  meantime,  hav 
ing  been  ordered  to  Little  Round  Top  by  General  Hancock.  Both  Slocum 
and  Sickles  marched  to  Gettysburg,  without  orders,  in  response  to  Howard's 
appeal. 

The  Third  Corps,  under  General  Sickles,  was  in  position  at  Emmitsburg  on 
the  morning  of  July  ist.  During  the  day  General  Sickles,  in  company  with 
General  Humphreys,  was  busily  engaged  pursuant  to  orders  in  examining  the 
ground  in  front  of  Emmitsburg  with  reference  to  its  selection  for  a  battlefield. 
At  3:10  p.  m.,  Sickles  received  a  despatch  from  Howard  informing  him  of  the 
fight  at  Gettysburg  and  the  death  of  Reynolds,  and  requesting  him  to  come  to 
his  assistance  with  the  Third  Corps.  Now  Sickles  was  under  orders  from 
General  Meade  to  hold  Emmitsburg  on  account  of  its  strategic  importance  in 
case  of  a  withdrawal  of  the  army  to  the  line  of  Pipe  Creek.  But  Sickles, 
prompted  by  soldierly  motives,  decided  without  hesitation  to  go  to  Howard's 
aid,  and  sent  a  return  message  dated  3:15  p.  m.,  saying  that  he  would  "  move 
to  Gettysburg  immediately."  At  the  same  time  he  sent  a  despatch  to  General 
Meade  informing  him  of  his  intention  to  move  forward  on  the  two  parallel 
roads,  and  notifying  him  that  he  (Sickles)  could  be  "  found  on  the  direct  turn 
pike  road  "  to  Gettysburg.  Sickles  sent  this  message  so  that  General  Meade 
could  order  the  corps  back  to  Emmitsburg,  if  necessary.  Realizing  the  im 
portance  of  still  holding  Emmitsburg,  Sickles  ordered  De  Trobriand's  and 
Burling's  brigades  —  one  from  each  division  —  also  Smith's  and  Winslow's 
batteries  of  his  corps,  left  there  in  certain  commanding  positions  designated 
by  him.  Then,  at  3:25  p.  m.  he  sent  another  courier  to  General  Meade  in- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  31 

forming  him  of  the  latter  arrangement.  Meade  subsequently  approved  of 
Sickles'  action  and  ordered  these  troops  forward  also. 

Taking  the  two  remaining  brigades  of  Birney's  Division  with  him,  Sickles 
started  for  the  field,  arriving  there  at  6:30  p.  m.,  the  troops  making  a  forced 
march  of  ten  miles  in  less  than  three  hours,  over  a  rough,  muddy  road  that 
was  already  much  cut  up  by  wagon  trains.  On  reaching  the  front,  General 
Sickles  sent  another  despatch  to  General  Meade,  at  9:30  p.  m.,  stating  what  he 
had  done,  and  adding  that  "this  is  a  good  battlefield;"  also,  the  suggestion 
that  "  our  left  and  rear  are  not  sufficiently  guarded." 

General  Humphreys,  who  commanded  the  other  division  of  the  Third  Corps, 
started  soon  after  Birney  moved,,  taking  a  parallel  road  about  two  miles  west. 
Humphreys'  Division  arrived  at  Gettysburg  in  the  night  at  I  a.  m.,  having 
taken  the  wrong  road  at  one  point  through  an  error  of  the  guide,  a  physi 
cian  from  Emmitsburg,  who  was  presumed  to  be  familiar  with  the  desired 
route.  As  a  result  of  this  mistake  Humphreys  narrowly  escaped  a  collision 
with  the  enemy  near  the  Black  Horse  Tavern,  on  the  Fairfield  Road.  The 
two  absent  brigades  and  batteries  rejoined  their  corps  the  next  morning. 

As  Sickles,  with  his  veterans,  some  of  them  bare-footed,  were  hurrying  to 
the  field,  they  passed  a  wagon  train,  which  was  guarded  by  the  Fifteenth 
Vermont,  a  large,  fine  regiment,  under  command  of  Col.  Redfield  Proctor. 
Sickles,  who  was  full  of  enthusiasm,  made  a  patriotic  speech  to  the  Vermonters, 
telling  them  that  they  were  needed  at  the  front;  that  the  battlefield  was  the 
place  where  they  could  best  protect  their  wagon  train,  and  ordered  them 
to  follow  him.  The  Green  Mountain  Boys  greeted  this  speech  with  cheers, 
and  falling  in  with  the  Third  Corps  followed  Sickles  to  the  field,  where  they 
bivouacked  that  night  with  his  men.  But,  unfortunately  for  the  commendable 
ardor  displayed  by  Sickles  and  his  Vermont  recruits,  this  regiment  had  been 
assigned  to  Doubleday's  Division,  and  the  next  day  Doubleday  sent  them 
back  to  their  inglorious  duty  with  the  wagon-train. 

General  Meade,  without  waiting  for  Hancock's  return,  acted  on  the  informa 
tion  already  sent  to  him  and  decided  to  fight  at  Gettysburg.  He  sent  orders  to 
the  commanders  of  the  absent  corps  that  as  the  battle  would  probably  be  fought 
there,  they  must  put  their  troops  in  motion  and  by  forced  marches  reach  that 
place  as  soon  as  possible.  Having  issued  the  necessary  orders  for  a  concentra 
tion  of  the  entire  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  Gettysburg,  Meade,  accompanied  by 
his  staff,  left  Taneytown  that  night,  and  arrived  at  Gettysburg  at  i  o'clock 
in  the  morning. 

While  General  Hancock  was  busy  with  the  important  duties  intrusted  to 
him  by  his  commander,  the  Second  Corps,  under  the  temporary  command  of 
General  Gibbon,  was  pressing  on  to  Gettysburg,  along  the  Taneytown  road. 
Hancock  halted  it  about  three  miles  in  rear  of  the  town,  where  it  encamped 
for  the  night,  posted  as  a  reserve,  but  in  protection  of  the  flank  and  within 
supporting  distance  of  the  front.  And,  so,  at  nightfall,  the  seven  infantry  corps 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  were  all  at  Gettysburg  except  the  Fifth  and  Sixth. 

The  Fifth  Corps,  General  Sykes,  was  at  Union  Mills  on  the  morning  of  the 
i  st,  seventeen  miles  away.*  It  was  under  orders  to  march  to  Hanover  that 

*  Seventeen  miles  by  the  nearest  road.  But  the  route  by  Hanover  was  circuitous  and 
much  longer. 


32  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

day.  Reaching"  Hanover,  it  resumed  its  march  at  7  p.  m.,  and  arrived  at  Bon- 
aughtown,  six  miles  from  Gettysburg,  at  midnight.  Resuming  the  march  early 
in  the  morning'  it  reached  the  field  about  8  a.  mv  in  time  to  participate  in  the 
battle  of  the  second  day. 

General  Sedgwick  with  the  Sixth  Corps,  on  the  morning  of  July  ist,  was  at 
Manchester,  thirty  miles  distant.  At  evening  orders  were  received  to  move 
to  Taneytown,  and  the  corps  started  at  9  p.  m.  During  the  night  Sedgwick 
was  instructed  to  continue  the  march  to  Gettysburg.  Without  halting,  except 
for  a  few  moments  each  hour  to  rest  the  men,  and  one  halt  for  coffee,  the 
corps  arrived  at  Gettysburg  about  3  p.  m.,  on  July  2d,  after  a  continuous  march 
of  over  thirty-three  miles.*  The  additional  distance  marched  was  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  order  changing  the  destination  was  not  received  until  some  time 
after  crossing  the  Baltimore  and  Gettysburg  Turnpike. 

The  moon  that  night  was  at  the  full,  and,  flooding  the  landscape  with  its 
mellow  light,  assisted  the  belated  columns  of  both  armies,  which  were  hurrying 
to  the  battle  ground.  All  night  the  regiments  moved  on  in  stillness,  the 
men  too  tired  for  talk,  or  song,  or  jest.  With  polished  arms  glimmering  in 
tlie  haze  the  dusky,  silent  legions  moved  like  the  spectral  armies  that  are  said  to 
march  at  midnight  when  the  skeleton  drummer  leaps  from  his  grave  and 
beats  the  roll.  The  now  quiet  farms  on  Seminary  Ridge  revealed  that  saddest 
of  all  scenes,  the  battlefield  at  night,  where,  lying  on  the  damp  and  trampled 
ground,  the  upturned  faces  of  the  dead  took  on  a  ghastlier  pallor,  as  the  moon 
with  waning  light  sank  behind  the  dark  ridges  of  the  South  Mountain.  And 
all  this  time  between  the  sleeping  armies  the  watchful  sentries  paced  their 
rounds,  awaiting  with  anxious  hearts  the  dawn  which  was  to  usher  in  the 
greater  and  more  terrible  battle  of  the  morrow. 


THE  SECOND  DAY, 
THURSDAY,  JULY  2,  1863. 

A  sun  like  that  of  Austerlitz  greeted  the  awakened  soldiers,  but  neither  army 
moved  forward  to  the  attack.  The  pickets  maintained  a  slow,  deliberate  fire, 
all  the  more  deadly  because  of  its  deliberation.  The  morning  hours  wore  away 
in  anxious  expectation.  Afternoon  came,  and  still  the  fluttering  flags  waved 
listlessly  along  the  battle  front  where  the  regiments  were  resting  behind  the 
long  line  of  gun  stacks.  It  was  3  o'clock  when  the  roar  ot  artillery  on  the 
Union  left  announced  the  renewal  of  the  conflict. 

But  up  to  this  time  neither  army  had  been  entirely  idle.  There  had  been 
busy  preparations  on  both  sides.  Divisions  had  been  moving  into  position. 
The  lines  had  been  rectified  and  strengthened. 

The  Fifth  Corps,  under  General  Sykes,  arrived  on  the  field  at  8  a.  m.,  from 
Hanover,  and  was  posted  in  reserve  on  the  right,  near  the  bridge  over  Rock 
Creek,  and  in  supporting  distance  of  the  Twelfth  Corps. 

*  Some  of  the  official  reports  state  that  the  corps  marched  thirty-five  miles. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  33 

The  Second  Corps  —  General  Hancock's  —  having  bivouacked  on  the 
Taneytown  Road,  about  three  miles  in  the  rear,  moved  up  and  went  into  posi 
tion  at  7  a.  m.,  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  connecting  on  the  right  with  the  Eleventh 
Corps.  This  relieved  Robinson's  Division,  which  was  then  ordered  to  support 
Howard. 

The  two  brigades  and  batteries  of  the  Third  Corps,  which  had  been  left  at 
Emmitsburg  the  day  before,  rejoined  their  command  about  9  30  a.  m.  General 
Sickles,  who  occupied  the  ground  on  the  left  of  the  Second  Corps,  prolonged 
his  line  southward  in  the  direction  of  the  Round  Tops.  By  deploying  liberally 
he  extended  his  front  until  his  left  flank  reached  nearly  to  Little  Round  Top. 

Geary's  Division,  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  had  passed  the  night  near  Little 
Round  Top,  two  of  his  regiments  occupying  that  elevation.  On  the  morning 
of  the  2d,  General  Slocum  ordered  this  division  to  Gulp's  Hill,  and,  so,  leaving 
Little  Round  Top  at  5  a.  m.,  Geary,  with  his  two  brigades,  went  into  position  on 
Gulp's  Hill,  connecting  with  Wadsworth's  right.  Here  the  other  brigade  of 
Geary's  Division  —  Kane's  —  which  had  been  placed  in  reserve  the  night  before 
on  the  Baltimore  Pike,  rejoined  the  division.  Williams'  Division,  of  the 
Twelfth  Corps,  then  formed  line  connecting  with  Geary's  right  and  extending 
to  Rock  Creek,  where  it  held  the  extreme  right  of  the  Union  position.  The 
Twelfth  Corps  line  was  covered  for  the  most  part  by  woods.  Slocum  ordered 
breastworks  thrown  up,  and  his  troops,  who  had  experience  in  this  kind  of 
work  at  Chancellorsville,  soon  constructed  a  substantial  line  of  works  out  of 
the  fallen  timber,  trees,  and  rocks  which  were  conveniently  near. 

The  Reserve  Artillery,  under  General  Tyler,  also  arrived  during  the  morn 
ing,  and  was  parked  mainly  in  rear  of  the  Third  Corps.  The  artillerymen  on 
East  Cemetery  Hill  busied  themselves  in  completing  the  lunettes  which  had 
been  thrown  up  in  front  of  each  gun  to  protect  the  men  from  the  fire  of  the 
Confederate  sharpshooters,  some  of  these  earthworks  having  been  commenced 
the  previous  evening  at  dusk. 

Here  and  there  at  various  places  in  the  line,  during  the  battle  which  followed, 
detached  regiments  or  battalions  were  posted  at  points  that  separated  them 
from  their  commands,  and  at  times  a  brigade  or  demi-brigade  was  withdrawn 
from  its  division  at  some  critical  juncture;  but  mention  of  all  these  minor  posi 
tions  and  movements  would  involve  such  a  mass  of  tedious  detail  that  they  are 
necessarily  omitted. 

The  Union  line,  as  finally  adjusted  by  noon  of  the  second  day,  was  as  fol 
lows  :  The  Twelfth  Corps,  on  Gulp's  Hill,  held  the  right ;  next,  on  Gulp's  Hill 
also,  came  Wadsworth's  Division  of  the  First  Corps ;  then  the  Eleventh  Corps, 
under  General  Howard,  on  Cemetery  Hill,  with  its  front  conforming  to  the 
sharp  curvature  at  that  point ;  then  the  Second  Corps  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  with 
its  right  at  Ziegler's  Grove;  and,  last,  the  Third  Corps,  holding  the  extreme 
left  and  occupying  the  long  interval  between  the  Second  Corps  and  the  foot 
of  Little  Round  Top.  Buford's  Division,  the  only  cavalry  on  the  field,  occu 
pied  a  position  in  front  of  the  Round  Tops,  protecting  the  left  flank  of  the 
army  and  observing  the  line  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  on  which  some  of 
Meade's  troops  were  still  arriving.  The  Fifth  Corps  was  massed  in  reserve 
on  the  right,  while  in  the  rear  of  Howard's  position,  as  a  further  reserve,  were 


34  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

posted  Doubleday's  and  Robinson's  divisions  of  the  First  Corps.  The  Sixth 
Corps  had  not  arrived.  The  First  Corps  was  now  under  command  of  Maj. 
Gen.  John  Newton,  a  division  commander  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  who  had  been 
thus  assigned  by  General  Meade  on  hearing  the  news  of  Reynolds'  death. 
By  this  appointment  General  Doubleday  was  superseded  on  the  field,  a  poor 
requital  for  the  valuable  services  rendered  by  him  on  the  previous  day.  In 
view  of  the  signal  ability  displayed  then  he  might  have  been  allowed,  at 
least,  to  retain  command  of  his  corps  until  the  close  of  the  battle. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  now  occupied  a  position,  the  line  of  which  has 
been  aptly  described  as  resembling  a  fish-hook,  the  straight  part  reaching 
from  the  northerly  base  of  Little  Round  Top  to  Cemetery  Hill,  from  which 
point  it  curved  along  the  ridge  of  Gulp's  Hill  to  Rock  Creek,  where  the  point 
or  barb  was  located.  Some  have  compared  it  to  a  horseshoe, —  with  the  toe- 
calk  at  Cemetery  Hill,  one  heel-calk  at  McAllister's  Hill,  and  the  other  at  Little 
Round  Top.  The  line  resembled  the  letter  J  as  much  as  anything  else.  The 
general  position  had  the  advantage  that  any  part  could  be  quickly  reinforced 
along  the  short  interior  lines,  and  by  the  roads  which  connected  the  flanks.  It 
embraced  the  commanding  elevations  of  Gulp's  Hill  on  the  right,  Cemetery 
Hil!  in  the  centre,  and,  subsequently,  the  Round  Tops  on  the  left.  It  should  be 
noted  that  at  this  time,  the  forenoon  of  July  2,  the  Round  Tops  were  not  occu 
pied,  there  being  no  troops  on  that  part  of  the  field  to  include  these  positions ; 
and,  that  these  points  were  not  occupied  until  late  in  the  afternoon,  after  the 
battle  of  the  second  day  had  commenced. 

From  Cemetery  Hill  a  ridge  extends  south  in  the  direction  of  Round  Top 
for  part  of  the  distance,  which  is  known  as  Cemetery  Ridge.  From  the  sum 
mit  of  Round  Top  on  the  left,  the  distance  along  the  Union  line  to  the  top 
of  McAllister's  Hill,  on  the  extreme  right  at  Rock  Creek,  is  just  four  miles ; 
from  Round  Top  to  the  point  on  East  Cemetery  Hill,  where  the  curve  in  the 
line  commences,  the  distance  is  two  and  three-fifths  miles.* 

General  Sedgwick,  with  the  leading  division  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  arrived 
about  3  p.  m.  after  its  long  march  of  thirty-three  miles.  The  other  divisions 
arrived  during  the  next  two  hours, f  coming  in  on  the  Baltimore  Pike  and  re 
lieving  the  Fifth  Corps,  which  was  ordered  soon  after  to  the  extreme  left.  The 
Sixth  Corps,  except  Neill's  Brigade,  moved  to  the  same  part  of  the  line  soon 
after,  Neill's  Brigade  being  left  on  Powers'  Hill  near  Slocum's  headquarters. 

With  the  arrival  of  the  Sixth  Corps  the  entire  infantry  force  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  was  on  the  field,  the  rapid  concentration  of  the  widely-scattered 
forces  being  highly  creditable  to  General  Butterfield,  the  efficient  chief  of  staff, 
on  whom  devolved  the  drawing  up  of  the  orders  and  arrangement  of  the  many 
important  details  necessary  to  the  successful  planning  and  execution  of  these 
movements. 

*The  usual  topographical  description  of  the  battlefield",  so  wearisome,  and  often  un 
intelligible,  to  the  reader  is  omitted  here,  reference  being  made  to  the  accompanying 
map  instead. 

fin  the  official  reports  General  Wright  states  that  his  division  arrived  "about  4  p.  m.;" 
General  Howe,  whose  division  marched  at  the  rear  of  the  Sixth  Corps  that  day,  says 
that  his  troops  reached  the  field  at  5  p.  m.;  General  Neill,  of  Howe's  Division,  reports  that 
his  brigade  arrived  at  6  p.  m.  (Official  Records,  vol.  XXVII,  part  III.) 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  35 

While  General  Meade  had  all  his  forces  in  hand,  and  every  corps  of  his  army 
on  the  field,  except  the  Sixth  Corps,  General  Lee  went  into  the  second  day's 
fight  with  one  of  his  divisions  absent,  Pickett's  Division,  of  Longstreet's  Corps, 
having  been  left  at  Chambersburg  to  guard  the  rear.  These  troops  did  not  ar 
rive  at  Gettysburg  until  the  morning  of  the  3d.  It  should  be  remembered  here, 
however,  that  of  Meade's  Army,  the  Sixth  Corps  did  not  arrive  until  after  3 
p.  in.,  and  that  prior  to  this  hour  the  preponderance  of  forces  was  slightly  in 
Lee's  favor. 

The  Army  of  Virginia  was  composed  of  three  corps,  commanded  by  Long- 
street,  Ewell,  and  A.  P.  Hill,  each  of  whom  held  the  rank  of  lieutenant  general. 
These  corps  were  numbered  respectively  the  First,  Second,  and  Third,  and  con 
tained  nine  divisions  in  all, —  three  in  each  corps.  Each  division,  except 
Pickett's,  contained  four  brigades  at  least,  the  divisions  of  Rodes  and  Anderson 
containing  five. 

General  Lee's  line  of  battle  conformed  necessarily  to  that  of  his  opponent, 
and,  occupying  an  outer  circle,  was  longer  and  more  attenuated.  His  line 
was  over  six  miles  long.  Longstreet  held  the  right,  with  the  two  divisions  of 
Hood  and  McLaws,  which  had  arrived  during  the  night.  The  centre  was  held 
by  Hill  with  the  Confederate  Third  Corps,  posted  in  the  woods  on  Seminary 
Ridge,  a  slightly  elevated  piece  of  land  running  north  and  south,  parallel  with 
and  about  one  mile  in  front  of  Cemetery  Ridge.  Ewell's  Corps  —  the  Second  — 
was  posted  on  the  left,  with  Rodes'  Division  occupying  the  town,  Early's  east 
of  the  town,  and  Johnson's  on  Benner's  Hill,  opposite  Slocum's  position. 

The  divisions  of  Johnson,  Anderson  (Hill's  Corps),  Hood,  and  McLaws  had 
not  been  in  action  as  yet.  Early's  Division  was  in  the  engagement  of  the 
previous  day,  but  aside  from  Gordon's  Brigade  its  casualties  were  slight. 
General  Lee  had  nineteen  brigades  of  infantry  present  at  the  opening  of  the 
second  day's  battle,  which  up  to  that  hour  had  not  been  engaged. 

General  Meade,  after  examining  a  part  of  the  field  on  the  morning  of  the  2d, 
seemed  to  be  impressed  with  the  idea  that  the  enemy  would  attack  his  right,  and 
accordingly  massed  his  reserves  —  the  Fifth  and  First  Corps  —  on  that  part  of 
his  line.  Having  decided  to  take  the  offensive  himself,  he  issued  an  order  at 
9:30  a.  m.,  directing  General  Slocum,  who  was  in  command  of  the  Twelfth 
and  Fifth  Corps,  to  make  arrangements  to  move  forward  with  these  troops 
and  attack  the  enemy  on  his  front.  Meade's  directions  were  that  this  attack 
should  be  made  by  the  Twelfth,  supported  by  the  Fifth ;  and  that  he  (Meade) 
would  give  the  order  to  move  as  soon  as  he  received  definite  information  of 
the  approach  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  which  would  be  ordered  "  to  co-operate  in 
this  attack."  But  the  topography  of  the  field  in  Slocum's  front,  with  its  rocky, 
uneven  surface,  woods,  hills,  and  streams,  was  such  that  there  was  very  little 
promise  of  success  for  an  assault  in  that  quarter.  General  Slocum,  after  a  careful 
examination  of  the  ground,  reported  unfavorably,  an  opinion  in  which  General 
Warren,  the  chief  engineer  of  the  army,  concurred.  It  would  be  five  hours  or 
more  before  the  Sixth  Corps  could  arrive,  and  so  the  attack  was  abandoned. 

The  centre  afforded  no  opportunity  for  an  offensive  movement,  except 
through  the  streets  of  Gettysburg  or  to  the  south  of  it,  the  town  in  either  case 
offering  a  serious  obstacle. 


36  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

The  left  of  the  Union  line,  as  already  shown,  was  held  by  the  Third  Corps, 
under  General  Sickles,  whose  right  connected  with  the  left  of  the  Second 
Corps,  General  Hancock.  Now  Hancock,  with  12,000  men,  had  selected  1,300 
yards  of  the  front  line  as  the  proper  portion  to  be  defended  by  his  corps, 
leaving  Sickles  with  his  smaller  force  to  protect  a  front,  of  the  same  length, 
extending  to  the  base  of  Little  Round  Top.  But  it  was  nearly  a  mile  and  one- 
half  from  Hancock's  left  to  the  summit  of  Big  Round  Top,  and  hence  Sickles' 
front  could  not  include  these  elevations.  Any  contemplated  occupation  of 
Little  Round  Top  was  restricted  by  General  Meade's  instructions,  "  if  it  was 
practicable  to  occupy  it."* 

Big  Round  Top  has  an  elevation  of  300  feet  above  the  valley  at  its  base, 
while  Little  Round  Top  is  113  feet  lower.  Both  hills  were  steep,  partly 
wooded,  and  covered  thickly  with  large  rocks.  Geary's  Division,  which  had 
bivouacked  near  there  on  the  night  o  the  ist,  with  two  of  its  regiments  on  Lit 
tle  Round  Top,  left  its  position  early  on  the  morning  of  the  2d,  having  been 
ordered  to  Gulp's  Hill.  If  it  was  intended  that  these  summits  should  be  occu 
pied,  more  troops  should  have  been  sent  to  the  left  for  that  purpose.  The 
Fifth  Corps  and  two  divisions  of  the  First  were  massed  in  reserve  near  the 
Baltimore  Pike,  either  of  which  could  have  been  spared ;  in  fact,  both  were 
ordered  to  the  left  later  in  the  day.  But  General  Meade  was  expecting  to  make 
an  attack  on  his  right,  and  paid  little  attention  to  the  disposition  of  his  left, 
or  to  the  information  that  the  enemy  was  about  to  attack  that  flank. 

To  the  surprise  and  embarrassment  of  General  Sickles,  Buford's  Division 
of  cavalry,  which  was  posted  on  his  left  flank,  moved  off  the  field  about  ten 
o'clock,  General  Meade  having  authorized  General  Pleasanton  to  send  this 
division  to  Westminster,  thirty  miles  distant.  Meade  supposed  that  Gregg's 
Division  of  cavalry  had  relieve  Buford.  But  he  had  been  incorrectly  in 
formed.  As  soon  as  Meade  was  aware  of  his  mistake  he  instructed  Pleasan 
ton  that  Sickles'  flank  should  not  be  left  unprotected  by  cavalry.  But  it  was 
too  late,  and  Sickles  Had  to  go  into  the  fight  with  no  other  protection  to  his 
flank  than  what  he  obtained  by  a  disposition  of  his  infantry. 

In  accordance  with  orders  Sickles  formed  his  two  divisions  —  Humphreys' 
and  Birney's  —  along  a  southerly  line  extending  from  Hancock's  left,  on  Ceme 
tery  Ridge,  to  a  point  near  the  base  of  Little  Round  Top.  A  picket  line  was 
established  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  with  some  of  Berdan's  Sharpshooters 
still  farther  advanced.  Cemetery  Ridge,  along  Hancock's  front,  has  consider 
able  elevation,  and  affords  good  ground  for  resisting  an  attack.  But  this  ridge 
does  not  extend  all  the  way  to  Little  Round  Top.  It  sinks  gradually  into  a 
low  swale  before  reaching  there,  and  hence  the  left  of  the  Third  Corps  was 
placed  in  a  very  unsatisfactory  position.  There  was  no  opportunity  to  use 
artillery  or  manoeuvre  troops.  The  chief  of  artillery  for  the  Third  Corps, 
Captain  Randolph,  says  in  his  official  report  that  the  positions  of  his  batteries 
while  here  "  were  low,  unprotected,  and  commanded  by  the  ridge  along  which 
runs  the  road  from  Emmitsburg,"  and  that  "  there  were  no  desirable  positions 
on  our  part  of  the  line."  On  the  left  front  there  was  a  screen  of  woods  which 

*  General  Meade;  Testimony  before  Committee  on  Conduct  of  the  War.  1865,  Vol.  I, 
p.  331- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  37 

would  effectually  conceal  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  if  attacking  from  that 
direction,  the  direction  from  which  the  attack  eventually  came.  The  experi 
ence  of  the  Union  troops  at  Chancellorsville  made  these  woods  a  source  of 
serious  apprehension. 

By  reference  to  the  map  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  after 
leaving  Cemetery  Hill,  diverges  from  the  line  of  Cemetery  Ridge  and  runs 
southwesterly  and  diagonally  towards  Seminary  Ridge.  This  road  follows  a 
crest  also  for  most  of  the  distance  opposite  the  west  front  of  the  Union  line. 
While  it  touches  the  Union  line  at  the  base  of  Cemetery  Hill,  it  is  nearly  one 
mile  distant  when  opposite  Little  Round  Top,  at  which  point  there  is  a  peach 
orchard.  From  this  peach  orchard  a  road  runs  directly  east  at  a  right  angle 
with  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  passing  just  north  of  Little  Round  Top.  This 
last  piece  of  road  is  crossed,  in  front  of  Little  Round  Top,  by  the  small  stream 
called  Plum  Run,  which  runs  through  a  narrow,  open  valley.  The  land  south 
of  this  cross  road,  extending  from  Little  Round  Top  and  the  Devil's  Den  to 
the  Peach  Orchard,  is  covered  for  most  of  the  distance  by  a  wide  belt  of  woods, 
and  is  broken  up  into  steep  ravines  and  knolls. 

The  Devil's  Den  is  a  wild,  rocky,  partly  wooded  eminence  which,  owing 
to  its  weird  and  impressive  appearance,  had  been  known  by  'this  name  for 
many  generations  before  the  battle.  Around  its  base  huge  boulders,  some  of 
them  as  large  as  a  small  house,  rest  in  an  irregular,  confused  mass,  forming 
nooks  and  cavernous  recesses  suggestive  of  its  uncanny  name.*  Its  summit  is 
about  eighty  feet  above  the  valley  of  Plum  Run,  which  separates  it  on  the 
east  from  the  rocky  slopes  of  Little  Round  Top.  At  the  time  of  the  battle  its 
southern  slope  was  bare  of  trees,  affording  a  clear  view  of  the  open  fields  and 
farms,  which  stretch  away  below  it  in  that  direction.  At  its  southern  base,  also, 
amid  the  rocks  and  clumps  of  dwarf  cedar,  a  small  tributary  of  Plum  Run 
flows  to  the  east,  joining  the  main  stream  not  far  away.  To  the  right  and  west 
a  heavily  wooded  ridge  extends  nearly  to  the  Peach  Orchard  on  the  Emmits 
burg  Road. 

It  was  a  strong  tactical  position.  In  its  rear  lay  a  wheatfield  and  other  large 
areas  of  open  ground  which,  in  connection  with  the  roads  near  by,  furnished 
the  necessary  ground  for  manoeuvring  troops.  On  the  front  and  south',  its 
elevation,  crowned  with  artillery,  commanded  the  long  approaches  and  open 
fields  over  which  the  enemy  must  move  in  attacking  either  the  Round  Tops 
or  the  position  itself. 

During  the  forenoon  the  pressure  on  the  picket  lines  of  the  Third  Corps 
became  so  strong,  and  the  movements  of  the  enemy  so  active,  that  Sickles 
was  convinced  an  attack  would  be  made  on  his  flank.  He  then  went  to  head 
quarters  and  asked  General  Meade  to  accompany  him  to  the  left  and  examine 
the  field,  but  the  general  commanding  excused  himself  on  the  plea  that  other 
engagements  would  not  permit;  neither  would  he  accede  to  Sickles'request  that 
General  Warren  be  sent,  as  that  officer  was  engaged  also.  Sickles  then  asked 
that  General  Hunt,  chief  of  artillery,  be  sent,  to  which  General  Meade  assented, 

*At  the  time  of  the  battle  the  names  Devil's  Den,  Round  Top,  Gulp's  Hill,  Cemetery 
Ridge,  and  Seminary  Ridge  were  unknown  to  the  soldiers  in  either  army,  and  were  not 
used  by  them  until  a  long  time  after. 


38  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

and  these  two  generals  then  made  a  careful  examination  of  the  field  on  the 
left  flank. 

Sickles,  after  showing  General  Hunt  the  disadvantages  of  his  position  on 
the  low  ground  north  of  Little  Round  Top,  proposed  to  wheel  Birney's  Divis 
ion  into  position  to  cover  the  left  flank  in  advance  of  Little  Round  Top  and  the 
Devil's  Den,  to  the  ridge  at  the  Emmitsburg  Road;  and  to  post  artillery  on 
the  high  ridge  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  so  as  to  hold  the  ground,  which 
commanded  the  position  held  by  the  Third  Corps.  General  Hunt  declined  to 
assume  any  responsibility  for  changing  the  line  from  the  one  indicated  by 
General  Meade.  Such  instructions  as  had  been  given  by  the  latter  were 
somewhat  indefinite  and  allowed  some  latitude,  owing  to  his  purpose  to 
attack  elsewhere.  General  Meade  had  not  been  on  that  part  of  the  field, 
his  attention  being  occupied  with  affairs  on  his  right.  Hunt  rode  away,  saying 
that  he  would  report  the  situation  to  headquarters,  and  obtain  the  necessary 
orders. 

The  fire  of  the  Confederate  picket  line  was  so  strong  and  persistent  that, 
soon  after  General  Hunt  departed,  Sickles  ordered  a  reconnoissance  to  ascer 
tain  the  strength  and  position  of  the  enemy  in  his  front.  The  force  sent  out 
for  this  purpose  was  composed  of  four  companies  of  the  First  United  States 
Sharpshooters,  supported  by  the  Third  Maine  Infantry,  numbering  in  all  310 
officers  and  men,  under  command  of  Colonel  Berdan.  This  detachment  ad 
vanced  about  ii  130  a.  m.,  and  entered  the  woods  situated  some  distance  west 
of  the  Emmitsburg  Road.  Berdan  soon  encountered  a  portion  of  Wilcox's 
Alabama  Brigade,  of  Anderson's  Division,  and  drove  them  far  enough  to 
discover  three  columns  of  infantry  in  motion  on  the  farther  side  of  the  woods. 
Berdan  was  attacked  sharply  in  return,  and  forced  to  retire  with  a  severe  loss ; 
but  not  until  the  object  of  the  reconnoissance  had  been  accomplished,  and  im 
portant  information  acquired. 

General  Sickles  was  confronted  here  with  questions  of  the  gravest  character ; 
on  his  decision  the  fate  of  the  battle  might  depend.  His  corps  comprised  the 
only  troops  on  that  part  of  the  field,  and  the  enemy  was  massing  on  his  im 
mediate  front  and  flank.  If  he  occupied  the  Round  Tops  he  could  not  hold 
the  ground  between  him  and  Hancock.  If  he  remained  where  he  was,  the 
Round  Tops  would  be  occupied  by  the  enemy,  and  his  position  become  im 
mediately  untenable.  The  withdrawal  of  Buford's  Division  left  his  flank  un 
protected,  and  he  could  no  longer  observe  properly  the  movements  of  the 
enemy  beyond  the  screen  of  woods  on  his  left.  To  recall  his  skirmish  line 
from  the  Emmitsburg  Road  would  abandon  the  route  by  which  not  only  his 
own  corps,  but  half  the  army  had  reached  the  field,  and  lose  communication 
with  the  strategic  position  at  Emmitsburg  which  he  and  Humphreys  on  the 
previous  day  had  examined,  by  order  of  General  Meade,  to  determine  its  adA-in- 
^ages  as  a  battle  ground.  He  would  have  lost  possession,  also,  of  the  Millers- 
town  Road,  leading  to  Little  Round  Top.  The  general  commanding  was  un 
able  to  assist  him  with  his  presence  and  a  personal  examination  of  the  situation. 
The  Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps  and  other  divisions,  which  later  in  the  day  supported 
him,  were  not  at  hand ;  some  of  them  were  miles  away.  Was  it  to  be  Chancel- 
lorsville  again  ?  The  impending  attack  on  his  flank  was  imminent,  and  the  at 
tacking  forces  outnumbered  him  two  to  one.  General  Sickles  hardly  hoped  to 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  39 

withstand  the  onset  where  he  was ;  but  he  could  modify  his  position.  Even 
then  he  might  not  be  able  to  successfully  repulse  every  assault,  but  he  knew  the 
fighting  quality  of  his  corps  well  enough  to  feel  assured  that  he  could  hold  such 
position  until  the  general  commanding  could  bring  up  the  necessary  reserves 
to  secure  the  position  and  achieve  a  victory. 

General  Sickles,  receiving  no  reply  from  headquarters  in  response  to  the 
important  information  conveyed  by  his  staff  officers  to  General  Meade,  and  his 
repeated  requests  for  instruction,  exercised  the  discretion  customary  in  such 
cases.  He  decided  to  occupy  the  strong  line  from  the  base  of  Little  Round 
Top  to  the  Ridge  at  the  Peach  Orchard,  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  and 
meet  the  impending  attack  there,  instead  of  awaiting  it  on  the  lower  ground 
which  the  corps  then  occupied.  It  was  after  2  p.  m.  when  he  gave  the  orders 
for  this  movement.  Birney's  Division,  holding  the  left  of  the  Third  Corps, 
wheeled  to  the  left,  and  advanced  500  yards  to  the  front  of  Little  Round 
Top,  where  they  occupied  the  high  ground  from  the  Devil's  Den  to  the  Peach 
Orchard,  the  troops  facing  south.  At  the  same  time  General  Sickles  sent 
a  message  to  headquarters  asking  that  some  troops  be  sent  to  the  left  to 
occupy  the  Round  Tops.  Humphreys'  Division  took  position  along  the  Em 
mitsburg  Road,  its  left  connecting  with  Graham's  Brigade,  of  Birney's  Division. 
Graham's  troops  held  the  Peach  Orchard,  at  which  point  there  was  an  obtuse 
angle  in  the  general  line. 

This  movement  of  the  Third  Corps  is  often  described  as  an  advance  to  the 
Emmitsburg  Road,  creating  thereby  an  erroneous  impression.  The  real  move 
ment  consisted  in  the  left  wheel  of  Birney's  Division  to  the  south.  The  occu 
pation  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road  was  a  refused  line  incidental  to  the  other. 
Two-thirds  of  the  corps  faced  southward  to  meet  a  flank  attack  which  soon  came 
from  that  direction.  Chancellorsville  was  lost  through  a  failure  to  make  just 
such  a  move  in  just  such  a  contingency. 

The  left  of  Birney's  line  was  held  by  Ward's  Brigade  and  Smith's  Fourth  New 
York  Battery,  posted  at  the  Devil's  Den  on  elevated  ground,  separated  from  the 
Round  Tops  by  the  valley  of  Plum  Run.  Ward's  left  regiment  —  the  Fourth 
Maine  —  was  extended  across  this  valley  until  its  left  rested  on  the  western 
slope  of  Little  Round  Top.  To  the  right  and  west  of  Ward  lay  De  Trobriand's 
Brigade,  and  then  Graham's,  the  latter  holding  the  angle  at  the  Peach  Orchard. 
Ward  and  De  Trobriand  formed  their  lines  near  the  south  edge  of  the  woods,  on 
high  ground  commanding  the  open  fields  beyond.  It  was  a  strong  position,  and 
if  held  by  a  proper  number  of  troops,  properly  supported,  would  be  an  impreg 
nable  one.  In  a  wheatfield  in  their  rear,  Winslow's  New  York  Battery  (D, 
First  Artillery),  with  its  six  Napoleons, —  twelve  pounders  —  was  posted  where 
it  did  effective  work  at  short  range,  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  action. 

Graham  formed  in  the  open  country,  at  the  angle  of  the  two  roads  near 
the  Peach  Orchard,  with  most  of  his  brigade  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  facing 
west.  He  was  supported  by  three  additional  regiments  from  other  brigades. 
A  strong  artillery  force  of  thirty-four  guns  was  stationed  at  or  near  the  angle, 
Ames'  New  York  Battery  (G,  First  Artillery)  was  posted  at  the  inter 
section  of  the  roads ;  and,  later  on,  Hart's  Fifteenth  New  York  Battery  went 
into  action  on  the  south  line  of  the  Peach  Orchard.  This  orchard  was  on 
high  ground,  commanding  the  approaches  from  the  south  and  west.  Had  it 


40  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

been  occupied  sooner  and  been  well  intrenched,  it  would  have  proved  a  still 
more  serious  obstacle  to  the  enemy,  despite  the  salient  angle  in  the  line  at  that 
point. 

Humphreys'  position  on  the  road  was  in  open  fields,  with  descending  ground 
in  front  and  rear.  During  the  forenoon  his  skirmishers  leveled  the  fences 
opposite  his  front,  leaving  no  obstructions  to  hinder  the  movements  of  troops 
or  artillery.  His  division  occupied  a  shorter  line  than  Birney's,  having  only 
one  brigade  —  Carr's  —  deployed  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  with  two  addi 
tional  regiments  between  Carr  and  Graham.  The  Excelsior  Brigade  —  Brew- 
ster's  —  formed  in  rear  of  Carr's  line.  His  Third  Brigade  —  Burling's  —  was 
sent  to  Birney's  support. 

The  regiments  of  Burling's  Brigade  were  detached  from  time  to  time  and 
sent  to  various  points  on  the  field  during  the  ensuing  battle,  where  each  fought 
in  connection  with  some  other  command.  The  Second  New  Hampshire  and 
Seventh  New  Jersey  were  ordered  to  report  to  General  Graham ;  the  Fifth  New 
Jersey  was  detailed  for  skirmish  duty  on  Humphreys'  front ;  the  Sixth,  and  then 
the  Eighth,  New  Jersey,  were  sent  to  the  support  of  Ward ;  while  the  One 
hundred  and  fifteenth  Pennsylvania  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Wheatfield. 

As  Humphreys'  Division  moved  forward  across  the  fields  to  take  position  a 
spectacular  pageant  ensued  which  arrested  the  attention  of  all  within  view. 
The  sun  shone  brightly  on  their  waving  colors,  and  flashed  in  scintillating  rays 
from  their  burnished  arms,  as  with  well-aligned  ranks  and  even  steps  they 
moved  proudly  across  the  field.  Away  to  the  right,  along  Cemetery  Ridge,  the 
soldiers  of  the  Second  Corps,  leaving  their  coffee  and  their  cards,  crowded  to 
the  front,  where  they  gazed  with  soldierly  pride  and  quickened  pulse  on  the 
stirring  scene.  Conspicuous  among  the  moving  columns  of  this  division  was 
the  old  Excelsior  Brigade,  each  one  of  its  five  regiments  carrying  the  blue 
flag  of  New  York.  It  was  a  force  of  Sickles'  own  creation,  and  one  can  fancy 
how  the  corps  commander's  eye  kindled  with  pride  as  he  saw  his  old  brigade 
again  deploy  along  the  battle  line.  It  was  a  grand  parade  that  these  men  of 
New  York  made,  as  they  moved  bravely  out  to  meet  their  old-time  foe. 
They  marched  with  no  other  music  than  the  rattle  of  the  rifles  on  the  picket 
line ;  they  were  inspired  only  with  the  determination  to  acquit  themselves 
worthy  of  the  State  motto,  which  the  brigade  had  adopted  as  its  name. 

The  battle  on  the  left  was  now  about  to  open.  On  the  Union  side  were  the 
six  brigades  of  the  Third  Corps,  numbering  9,800  men.  In  their  immediate 
front,  awaiting  the  order  to  move  forward,  were  the  eight  brigades  of  Hood 
and  McLaws  and  two  brigades  (Wilcox's  and  Perry's)  of  Anderson's  Division, 
numbering  about  17,000.*  On  the  Confederate  line,  Generals  Lee  and  Long- 

*  The  monthly  return  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  shows  that  Hood  and  McLaws 
left  Fredericksburg  for  the  Pennsylvania  invasion  with  an  "  aggregate  present  "  of  17,884 
in  their  two  divisions,  and  with  15,031  officers  and  men  "  present  for  duty."  (Official  records, 
vol.  XXV,  part  II,  p.  845.)  General  Wilcox  states  in  his  official  report  that  after 
losing  577  killed,  wounded  and  missing  on  the  second  day,  he  went  into  action  on  the 
third  day  with  "  about  1,200;"  total,  1,777.  Colonel  Lang,  commanding  Perry's  Brigade, 
reports  officially  that  "the  brigade  went  into  action  near  700  strong."  General  Hood  states 
in  his  history,  "Advance  and  Retreat,"  p.  54,  that  his  division  at  Gettysburg  numbered 
"  approximately  8,000  effectives." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  41 

street  were  personally  superintending  the  preparations  for  an  advance.  On 
their  front,  General  Sickles,  in  the  absence  of  the  general  commanding,  was 
making  suitable  disposition  of  his  forces  to  meet  this  flank  attack. 

Before  this,  as  the  hours  passed  by  without  the  Confederates  making  any 
offensive  movement,  their  seeming  inaction  suggested  the  reasonable  idea  that 
General  Lee,  seeing  that  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  now  arrived,  might 
content  himself  with  the  victory  of  the  previous  day,  and,  instead  of  assaulting 
the  strong  position  of  the  Union  forces,  make  some  flank  movement  which 
would  force  them  to  abandon  their  chosen  position.  Meade  had  received  im 
perative  orders  to  keep  his  army  between  the  enemy  and  Washington.  If  Lee 
were  to  pass  around  his  left,  the  position  at  Gettysburg  would  have  to  be 
evacuated  promptly.  At  3  o'clock,  before  the  fighting  commenced,  General 
Meade  sent  the  following  despatch  to  Washington : 

HEADQUARTERS  NEAR  GETTYSBURG,  PA., 

July  2,  1863  —  3  P.  M. 
Maj.  Gen.  H.  W.  HALLECK,  General-in-Chief: 

I  have  concentrated  my  army  at  this  place  to-day.  The  Sixth  Corps  is  just 
coming  in,  very  much  worn  out,  having  been  marching  since  9  p.  m.,  last  night. 
The  army  is  fatigued.  I  have  to-day,  up  to  this  hour,  awaited  the  attack  of  the 
enemy,  I  having  a  strong  position  for  defensive.  I  am  not  determined,  as  yet, 
on  attacking  him  till  his  position  is  more  developed.  He  has  been  moving  on 
both  my  flanks,  apparently,  but  it  is  difficult  to  tell  exactly  his  movements.  I 
have  delayed  attacking,  to  allow  the  Sixth  Corps  and  parts  of  other  corps  to 
reach  this  place  and  to  rest  the  men.  Expecting  a  battle,  I  ordered  all  my 
trains  to  the  rear.  If  not  attacked,  and  I  can  get  any  positive  information  of  the 
position  of  the  enemy  which  will  justify  me  in  so  doing,  I  shall  attack.  If  I  find 
it  hazardous  to  do  so,  or  am  satisfied  the  enemy  is  endeavoring  to  move  to  my 
rear  and  interpose  between  me  and  Washington,  I  shall  fall  back  to  my  sup 
plies  at  Westminster.  I  will  endeavor  to  advise  you  as  often  as  possible.  In 
the  engagement  yesterday  the  enemy  concentrated  more  rapidly  than  we 
could,  and  toward  evening,  owing  to  the  superiority  of  numbers,  compelled  the 
Eleventh  and  First  Corps  to  fall  back  from  the  town  to  the  heights  this  side, 
on  which  I  am  now  posted.  I  feel  fully  the  responsibility  resting  upon  me, 
but  will  endeavor  to  act  with  caution. 

GEO.  G.  MEADE, 

Major  General, 

General  Meade  had  previously  ordered  a  council  of  war  to  assemble  at 
3  o'clock,  a  consultation  of  the  corps  commanders,  as  he  termed  it,  a  very  un 
usual  thing  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  As  nothing  had  occurred  during  the 
day,  the  reason  for  calling  this  conference  is  not  apparent,  unless  it  be  found 
in  the  telegram  to  Halleck  which  was  sent  at  the  same  hour.  This  council  had 
hardly  convened  when  the  roar  of  Sickles'  artillery  announced  the  opening  of 
the  battle  on  the  left,  "  and  every  corps  commander  there  rode  immediately  to 
his  command."* 

*  Butterfield's  testimony;  Report  on  Conduct  of  the  War. 


42  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

About  3  o'clockf  Longstreet's  batteries  opened  along  his  entire  line  with 
an  energy  and  volume  plainly  indicating  that  the  main  attack  was  soon  to 
follow.  Just  before  this,  Sickles,  while  still  busy  with  the  disposition  of  his 
forces,  received  orders  to  attend  the  consultation  of  corps  commanders 
at  headquarters.  As  the  enemy  were  evidently  moving  against  his  flank 
he  sent  back  a  request  that  he  be  excused  for  that  reason,  but  received  in 
reply  a  second  and  peremptory  order  to  report  in  person  at  headquarters 
immediately.  Placing  General  Birney  in  temporary  command,  Sickles  hastened 
away.  But  the  sound  of  the  opening  artillery  preceded  him.  On  arriving.  Gen 
eral  Meade  excused  him  from  dismounting,  and  Sickles  returned  to  the  front, 
whither  General  Meade  speedily  followed.  In  a  hurried  conversation  with 
Sickles,  Meade  exhibited  some  surprise  at  the  disposition  of  the  troops,  and 
expressed  doubt  as  to  the  ability  of  the  Third  Corps  to  sustain  an  attack  in 
that  position.  Sickles  replied  that  the  line  was  a  strong  one,  and  the  best  one 
available ;  and,  that  it  should  be  held  until  reserves  could  be  brought  up.  At 
the  same  time  he  expressed  a  willingness  to  take  any  other  position  that  the 
general  commanding  would  indicate.  General  Meade  remarked  that  it  was 
too  late  to  change  the  line  then,  and  directed  Sickles  to  hold  his  position.  He 
said  he  would  order  the  Fifth  Corps  up  as  a  support  on  the  left,  and  instructed 
Sickles  to  call  on  General  Hancock  for  reinforcements  on  his  right. 

On  the  Confederate  side,  General  Lee  had  been  reconnoitring  the  field  since 
daylight.  He  decided  to  take  the  offensive,  and  make  the  main  attack  from  his 
right.  He  accordingly  ordered  Longstreet's  two  divisions  —  Hood's  and 
McLaws'  —  which  had  bivouacked  at  Marsh  Creek,  about  four  miles  from  Get 
tysburg,  to  take  position  on  the  right.  Longstreet  formed  his  two  divisions  on 
a  prolongation  of  Hill's  line,  McLaws  connecting  with  Anderson's  Division  of 
Hill's  Corps.  Longstreet's  right  division  —  Hood's  —  formed  some  distance 
south  of  the  Peach  Orchard,  along  the  Emmitsburg  Pike,  which  crossed  the 
lines  of  both  armies  in  a  diagonal  direction.  These  two  divisions  consumed 
several  hours  in  reaching  this  position,  because  they  were  ordered  to  proceed 
by  a  back  road  through  the  woods  to  avoid  attracting  the  attention  of  M cade's 
signal  officers  on  Little  Round  Top,  and  the  skirmishers  of  the  Third  Corps 
which  were  established  along  the  line  in  advance  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road  and 
the  Peach  Orchard.  The  intention  was,  having  moved  by  a  concealed  route,  to 
attack  Sickles'  position  at  the  Peach  Orchard  which  the  Confederate  generals 
then  supposed  formed  the  left  of  his  corps.  This  effort  at  concealment,  which 
was  only  partially  successful,  caused  much  of  the  delay  in  the  commencement  of 
the  battle.  That  the  Confederate  generals  should  attach  importance  to  a 
disguised  march  was  natural,  in  view  of  Jackson's  success  at  Chancellorsville 
through  a  similar  manoeuvre. 

The  ground  opposite  the  Union  left  offered  desirable  positions  from  which 
to  make  the  Confederate  attack.  The  roads  on  that  portion  of  the  field  af 
forded  important  tactical  advantages  for  the  movement  of  troops.  An  attack- 

*  In  their  official  reports,  Captains  Randolph,  Clark,  and  Ames,  of  the  artillery,  fix  the 
time  of  the  opening  of  this  preliminary  cannonade  at  3  o'clock.  Captain  Manly,  of  Hood's 
Division,  says  he  opened  at  2:30,  and  Lieutenant  Motes,  same  division,  says  Carlton's 
Battery  commenced  firing  at  3  p.  m. 


KEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  43 

ing  force  would  find  it  desirable  to  seize  them,  while  the  defence  would  deem  it 
equally  important  to  hold  them.'  These  roads  led  not  only  through  important 
military  positions,  offensive  and  defensive  ones,  but  formed,  also,  lines  of  com 
munication  with  distant  strategical  points  —  lines  over  which  supply  trains  were 
moving,  and  routes  on  which  troops  were  coming  and  going.  The  ground  on 
the  Confederate  right  was  not  only  densely  wooded,  but  was  traversed  its  entire 
length  by  parallel  ridges,  features  which  afforded  facilties  for  moving  large 
bodies  of  troops  unobserved  by  the  enemy.  As  the  objective  point  of  the 
Confederate  attack  was  the  Peach  Orchard,  Lee  availed  himself  of  these 
topographical  advantages.  Could  Longstreet's  forces,  unobserved,  reach  some 
point  near  the  orchard,  from  where  they  could  make  a  sudden  attack,  they 
might  seize  the  Round  Tops,  also,  or  turn  the  Union  position. 

Longstreet  had  already  delayed  the  movement  until  noon,  waiting  for  Law's 
Brigade  to  rejoin  his  command,  a  pardonable  delay,  because  two  divisions  were 
hardly  an  adequate  force  for  the  work  intrusted  to  him.  Law's  troops  were 
at  New  Guilford,  twenty-four  miles  from  Gettysburg.  Starting  at  daybreak 
they  marched  this  distance,  and  three  additional  miles  while  going  into  position, 
after  which  they  went  into  action  without  any  opportunity  to  rest.  It  was  the 
best  display  of  marching  and  endurance  made  by  either  army  at  Gettysburg. 

It  was  past  noon  when  the  two  divisions,  Law  having  arrived,  left  their  halt 
ing  place  beyond  Willoughby  Run,  between  the  Chambersburg  and  Hagerstown 
Roads,  and  started  for  the  position  designated  as  the  place  for  formation  prepar 
atory  to  the  attack.  But  in  passing  through  the  woods  west  of  the  Emmitsburg 
Road,  the  better  to  enable  them  to  reach  the  Union  left  flank  unobserved,  an 
open  place  was  reached  which  they  could  not  cross  without  being  seen  from 
the  Union  lines.  In  order  to  comply  with  the  orders  directing  that  this  flank 
movement  must  be  a  masked  one,  McLaws,  whose  division  has  the  lead,  halts 
and  waits  for  orders.  He  then  turns  back  and  continues  his  march  by  a  more 
remote  and  longer  route.  General  Lee  was  becoming  sharply  impatient  over 
the  inexplicable  delay.  Longstreet  seems  to  have  shared  his  impatience,  for 
when  Hood's  Division  arrived  at  this  opening  in  the  woods,  he  abandoned  any 
further  attempt  at  concealment,  and  ordered  these  troops  to  move  to  their 
place  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road  by  the  direct  route,  passing  behind  WarfieldTs 
woods.  This  brought  Hood  in  advance  of  McLaws,  and  so  the  former  went 
into  line  on  the  extreme  right,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  south  of  Sherfy's 
Peach  Orchard,  leaving  McLaws  to  fill  the  space  between  him  and  Anderson 
of  Hill's  Corps.  Longstreet  placed  fifty-seven  pieces  of  artillery  along  the 
edge  of  the  woods  west  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road  and  southwest  of  the  Peach 
Orchard.  These  batteries  contained  several  guns  of  heavier  calibre  than  any 
in  Sickles'  artillery,  and,  for  some  time  after  the  opening  of  the  battle,  out 
numbered  largely  the  pieces  in  position  on  the  Third  Corps  lines. 

General  Lee,  in  his  official  report,  alludes  to  that  part  of  the  line  held  by  the 
Third  Corps  at  the  Peach  Orchard,  saying :  "  In  front  of  General  Longstreet 
the  enemy  held  a  position  from  which,  if  he  could  be  driven,  it  was  thought  our 
artillery  could  be  used  to  advantage."  Longstreet  was  accordingly  ordered  to 
attack  this  position,  and  "  envelop  "  the  left  of  the  Union  line.  But  when  they 
arrived  at  the  position  from  which  they  intended  to  attack  the  Union  flank 


44  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

the  Confederates  discovered  that  Sickles'  line,  instead  of  ending  at  the  Peach 
Orchard,  was  sharply  refused  for  nearly  a  mile",  and  extended  from  the  orchard 
to  Plum  Run. 

General  Hood's  orders  were  not  only  to  envelop  Sickles'  left,  but,  also, 
to  attack  "  up  the  Emmitsburg  Road."  His  instructions  were,  to  place  his 
division  across  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  form  line  of  battle,  and  attack.  But 
this  order  was  not  executed.  After  Hood  arrived  at  the  position  assigned  him, 
he  saw  that  there  had  been  a  serious  misconception  as  to  the  true  location  of 
Sickles'  line,  the  left  of  which  was  concealed  by  the  dense  woods  in  which  it 
rested ;  and  that  an  attack  up  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  even  if  successful,  would 
expose  his  right  and  rear  to  the  fire  of  these  troops.  Instead  of  attacking  at 
the  place  and  in  the  manner  designated  in  his  instructions,  he  delivered  his 
attack  at  a  point  nearly  a  mile  away. 

There  being  no  Union  cavalry  to  prevent  him,  Hoiod  sent  some  infantry 
scouts  or  "  runners  "  forward,  who  ascended  Big  Round  Top  and  returned  with 
the  information  that  both  Round  Tops  were  unoccupied;  that  some  of  the  Union 
wagon  trains  were  parked  behind  these  hills ;  and  that  he  could  march  through 
openwoodlandsandlevelfields  around  Big  Round  Top  to  where  he  could  attack 
the  enemy  in  flank  and  rear.  Hood  was  loath  to  assault  the  strong  positions 
held  by  Ward  and  De  Trobriand,  knowing  that  success  could  be  achieved  only 
by  a  terrible  sacrifice  of  his  men.  He  accordingly  despatched  a  staff  officer  to 
Longstreet  with  a  message  stating  that,  in  his  opinion,  it  was  unwise  to  attack 
up  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  and  urgently  requesting  permission  to  pass  to  the 
south  of  Big  Round  Top  and  thereby  turn  the  position.  Longstreet  sent  back- 
word  immediately  that  General  Lee's  orders  were  to  attack  up  the  Emmitsburg 
Road.  A  second,  and  a  third  time,  Hood  renewed  his  request  to  turn  Round 
Top  so  that  he  could  attack  the  opposing  forces  in  flank  and  rear,  but  each  time 
he  received  quickly  the  same  reply.  Longstreet  did  not  forward  Hood's  request 
to  General  Lee,  because  he  had  already  urged  upon  the  general  commanding  the 
advisability  of  the  same  movement,  but  without  success.  He  could  not  reopen 
the  argument,  even  at  Hood's  request,  without  appearing  insubordinate  or  con 
tumacious.  As  a  result,  General  Lee  was  left  in  ignorance  of  the  true  position 
of  the  enemy's  flank.*  Hood,  finding  his  protests!  unavailing,  ordered  his 

*  Referring  to  Sickles'  line,  Gen.  Fitzhugh  Lee  says:  "  Lee  was  deceived  by  it,  and 
gave  general  orders  to  attack  up  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  partially  enveloping  the  enemy's 
left,  which  Longstreet  '  was  to  drive  in.'  There  was  much  behind  Sickles,  and  Longstreet 
was  attacking  the  Marye  Hill  of  the  position  only."  [Life  of  General  Lee.  By  Fitzhugh 
Lee.  p.  281.  Great  Commanders  Series:  Appleton  &  Co.  New  York,  1894.] 

f  "  After  this  urgent  protest  against  entering  into  battle  at  Gettysburg  according  to 
instructions  —  which  protest  is  the  first  and  only  one  I  ever  made  during  my  entire  military 
career  —  I  ordered  my  line  to  advance  and  make  the  assault."  ("  Advance  and  Retreat," 
by  Gen.  John  B.  Hood;  p.  59.) 


Si  = 

S.    CD 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  45 

division  forward  ;n  accordance  with  the  somewhat  indefinite  order  to  "  envelop 
the  enemy's  left." 

The  Confederate  attack  was  preceded  by  a  desultory  fire  from  Cabell's  Ar 
tillery,  stationed  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  about  one-half  mile  south  of  the 
Peach  Orchard.    This  fire  was  promptly  responded  to  by  Ames's  (New  York) 
and  Clark's  (New  Jersey)  batteries.    Longstreet's  infantry  moved  forward  un 
der  a  distinct,  definite  order  of  battle,  which  required  that  the  right  brigade  — 
Law's,  of  Hood's  Division  —  should  attack  first,  after  which  the  movement 
should  be  taken   up   by   brigades   successively   to   the   left,   en   echelon,   and 
striking  the  enemy's  flank  obliquely,  thereby  forming,  as  some  military  writers 
term  it,  an  oblique  order  of  battle.    This  order  for  a  successive  attack  by  bri 
gades,  included  also  Anderson's  Division,  of  Hill's  Corps,  which  connected 
with  the  left  of  McLaws'  Division.     But  this  plan  was  based  on  a  supposition 
that  the  left  of  the  enemy's  line  extended  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road  only, 
and  terminated  at  the  Peach  Orchard.* 

It  was  about  3:30  p.  m.  when  Hood's  Division,  emerging  from  the  narrow 
belt  of  woods  near  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  moved  down  the  sloping  fields  and 
forward  to  the  attack.    Leaving  the  Emmitsburg  Road  at  a  place  south  of  the 
Peach  Orchard,  and  directly  west  of  Big  Round  Top,  Law's  and  Robertson's 
brigades,  preceded  by  a  strong  skirmish  line,  swept  rapidly  across  the  interven 
ing  farms,  with  Benning's  and  Anderson's  Brigades  following  in  a  second  line 
at  an  interval  of  400  yards.    Forcing  back  the  Union  skirmish  line,  which  was 
held  by  the  Second  United  States  Sharpshooters,  Law  pressed  on,  and  his  two 
right  regiments  ascended  the  western  slope  of  Big  Round  Top.  Arriving  near 
the  summit  these  two  regiments  wheeled  to  the  north    and    descended    into 
Lhe    valley    between    the    two    Round    Tops.        During    this    time    the    re 
mainder  of  Law's  Brigade,  together  with  the  brigades  of  Robertson,  Benning, 
and  Anderson  attacked  the  Union  line  at  the  Devil's  Den  and  the  valley  of 
Plum  Run,  the  gorge  which  lies  between  the  Devil's  Den  and  Little  Round 
Top.    This  position  at  the  Devil's  Den  was  held  by  Ward's  Brigade,  of  Birncy's 
Division,  and  these  troops  sustained  the  full  force  of  the  attack  made  by  three 
of  Hood's  four  brigades.     It  was  the  extreme  left  of  Sickles'  line,  and  here 
the  first  infantry  attack  in  the  battle  of  the  second  day  was  made.     Ward, 
assisted  by  De  Trobriand,  made  a  firm  resistance,  and  for  more  than  two  hours 
the  tide  of  battle  rose  and  fell  along  their  front. 

In  Ward's  Brigade  were  two  New  York  regiments, —  the  Eighty-sixth  and 
One  hundred  and  twenty-fourth  —  both  of  which  distinguished  themselves  for 
efficiency  on  this  hard-fought  field,  where,  as  in  many  other  battles,  they 
fought  side  by  side  with  connecting  ranks.  They  were  posted  in  the  woods 
near  the  Devil's  Den.  The  Eighty-sixth  carried  268  men  into  action,  one- 
fourth  of  whom  were  killed  or  wounded.  Lieut.  Col.  Benjamin  L.  Higgins, 
the  commandant  of  the  Eighty-sixth,  was  severely  wounded,  after  which  Maj. 
Jacob  H.  Lansing  took  charge  of  the  regiment.  Capt.  John  H.  Warner  was 
killed. 

*"  He  (Longstreet)  was  very  much  disconcerted  and  annoyed,  principally  because  it 
was  evident  at  a  glance  that  the  plan  of  battle  could  not  be  carried  out.  Instead  of  attack 
ing  down  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  his  lines  perpendicular  to  it,  *  *  *  the  whole  of  our 
attack  was  against  the  front  of  the  enemy,  in  position,  prepared  to  receive  us."  [Gettys 
burg.  By  Maj.  Gen.  Lafayette  McLaws.  So.  Hist.  Soc.  Papers.  Vol.  VII,  p.  75.  1879.] 


46  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

The  One  hundred  and  twenty-fourth  New  York,  an  Orange  County  regi 
ment  known  as  the  "  Orange  Blossoms,"  was  commanded  by  Col.  A.  V.  H. 
Ellis,  and  numbered  about  240,  officers  and  men.  It  lost  ninety  in  killed  and 
wounded.  Colonel  Ellis  and  Major  Cromwell  both  fell  from  their  horses, 
killed  in  a  spirited  charge  made  during  the  course  of  the  action,  in  which  the 
brigade  advanced  its  line  to  a  stone  wall,  the  possession  of  which  was  gained 
and  lost  repeatedly  during  the  fight.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Cummins  having  been 
wounded,  the  command  devolved  on  Capt.  Charles  H.  Weygant,  who  directed 
the  movements  of  the  thinned  ranks  until  the  brigade  was  relieved  and  the 
regiment  withdrawn.  In  addition  to  its  colonel  and  major,  Capt.  Isaac 
Nichols  and  Lieut.  Milnor  Brown  were  among  the  killed. 

The  attack  on  Ward's  Brigade  at  the  Devil's  Den  was  made  by  the  greater 
part  of  Hood's  entire  division,  and  the  need  of  reinforcements  at  this  point 
soon  became  pressing.  General  Birney  sent  Ward  two  regiments,  one  of  them 
the  Fortieth  New  York,  of  De  Trobriand's  Brigade.  This  fine  regiment  \vas 
under  command  of  Col.  Thomas  W.  Egan,  an  officer  of  rare  ability  and  courage, 
who  subsequently  made  a  still  further  brilliant  reputation  as  a  division  general. 
Egan  moved  his  regiment  promptly  to  the  left,  in  rear  of  Ward,  and  went  into 
action  at  the  head  of  Plum  Run  Valley  just  in  time  to  prevent  the  enemy  from 
turning  Ward's  left  and  passing  through  the  gorge  which  separates  the  Devil's 
Den  from  Little  Round  Top.  The  Fortieth  held  this  position  until  the  entire 
line  was  forced  back,  after  which  it  retired  with  a  loss  of  154  officers  and  men, 
Adjutant  Johnson  being  among  the  killed,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Warner 
with  the  wounded.  Colonel  Egan's  horse  was  killed  under  him. 

Of  the  artillery  on  this  field  no  battery  occupied  a  more  important  and  ex 
posed  position  than  that  assigned  to  the  Fourth  New  York  Battery,  Capt. 
James  E.  Smith,  with  its  six  ten-pounder  Parrotts.  In  accordance  with  orders 
Smith  placed,  after  considerable  exertion,  four  of  his  guns  on  the  summit  at  the 
Devil's  Den,  the  rocky  eminence  selected  being  too  small  in  area  to  afford 
room  for  all  his  pieces.  The  two  remaining  guns,  with  the  caissons  and  horses, 
were  left  500  yards  in  the  rear,  where  they  commanded  the  gorge  of  Plum 
Run.  This  battery  took  an  active  part  in  the  artillery  duel  preceding  the  in 
fantry  attack,  the  accuracy  of  its  fire  telling  severely  on  the  Confederate  artil 
lery  posted  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road  south  of  the  Peach  Orchard.  As 
Hood's  infantry  advanced  to  the  attack  they  suffered  terribly  from  Smith's  guns, 
the  loss  inflicted  by  this  battery  being  repeatedly  mentioned  in  the  official 
reports  of  Hood's  officers.  When  the  left  of  Ward's  Brigade  was  forced  back, 
Smith  was  obliged  to  leave  three  of  his  guns  on  the  hill,  its  steep,  rocky  surface 
preventing  their  removal  in  time.  One  of  these  pieces,  which  was  disabled 
during  the  fight,  had  been  withdrawn.  In  view  of  possible  contingencies  Smith 
ordered  his  cannoneers  to  remove  all  implements  and  ammunition  which  might 
enable  the  enemy  to  use  the  pieces.  When  his  infantry  supports  withdrew  from 
their  position  near  his  four  guns,  Smith  hastened  with  all  speed  to  the  section 
which  he  had  placed  at  the  head  of  Plum  Run  Valley,  and  from  these  two  pieces 
opened  a  rapid  fire  of  canister  on  the  enemy,  who  were  trying  to  force  a  passage 
through  the  gorge.  General  Benning,  of  Hood's  Division,  speaks  in  his  official 
report  of  the  "  terrible  fire  of  the  two  pieces  which  swept  the  gorge."  Smith 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  47 

could  have  saved  the  three  guns  on  the  hill  and  withdrawn  from  the  field  with 
his  battery  without  censure;  but  he  preferred  to  trade  the  pieces  for  time,  and 
worked  them  to  the  last  moment,  using  canister  "  without  sponging." 

When  the  battle  opened  on  Sickles'  front,  the  Fifth  Corps,  under  General 
Sykes,  was  resting  quietly  on  the  Baltimore  Pike,  nearly  two  miles  from  the 
Devil's  Den  by  the  nearest  road.  Sykes,  who  was  then  in  consultation  with 
General  Meade  at  headquarters,  at  the  latter's  request,  was  ordered  to  put  his 
corps  in  motion,  and  hasten  to  the  locality  of  the  fighting.  The  three  divisions 
moved  off,  with  their  brigades  in  the  inverse  order  of  their  numerical  designa 
tion,  Vincent's  (Third)  Brigade,  of  Barnes'  Division  leading.  Generals  Sykes 
and  Barnes  rode  rapidly  forward  in  advance  of  the  column  in  order  to  examine 
the  field  before  putting  their  troops  into  action. 

Before  their  arrival,  General  Warren,  who  accompanied  Meade  to  the  field, 
had  gone  to  Little  Round  Top,  from  the  summit  of  which  he  obtained  a  view 
of  the  situation.  He  not  only  found  the  hill  unoccupied,  but  saw  with  alarm 
that  from  the  direction  of  the  Confederate  advance  Hood's  right  brigade  would 
soon  attain  undisputed  possession  of  this  important  position.  Ordering  the 
signal  men  to  continue  making  a  show  of  occupation  by  waving  their  flags, 
Warren  hastened  down  the  hill  and  rode  rapidly  to  where  General  Sykes  was 
reconnoitring  the  ground  near  the  Wheatfield.  Pointing  to  Little  Round  Top 
he  urged  the  importance  of  sending  troops  there  immediately  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  seizing  that  commanding  point. 

When  Sykes'  leading  brigade  —  Vincent's  — arrived,*  he  sent  orders  for  it  to 
occupy  the  hill.  This  brigade,  numbering  about  1,000  rifles,  turned  and  recross- 
ing  Plum  Run  climbed  Little  Round  Top,  where  they  encountered  an  artillery 
fire  which  the  enemy  directed  against  them  as  soon  as  they  came  into  view  on 
the  rocky  declivity  of  its  western  slope.  Vincent  posted  his  four  regiments  in 
line  midway  between  the  summit  and  base  of  the  ridge,  and  sent  out  skirmishers. 
But  the  line  had  scarcely  been  formed  when  it  was  attacked  fiercely  by  the 
brigades  of  Law  and  Robertson  which,  passing  by  Ward's  left,  had  rushed 
forward  to  seize  this  same  position. 

Never  did  troops  arrive  more  opportunely  or  fight  better  than  the  men  of 
Vincent's  Brigade.     From  their  strong  position  they  delivered  a  deadly  fire 
at  close  range,  from  which  Hood's  veterans  recoiled  and  abandoned  the  attack, 
but  not  until  both  sides  had  suffered  severely.     The  left  of  the  brigade,  held 
by  the  Twentieth  Maine,  extended  around  the  south  side  of  the  hill  into  the 
valley  separating  the  Round  Tops,  where  it  encountered  two  of    Law's  regi 
ments  that  had  passed  over  Great  Round  Top.        After  a  well   fought,  des 
perate  contest,  in  which  other  regiments  of  Law's  and  Robertson's  brigades 
were  engaged,  the  Twentieth  Maine,  assisted  by  the  Eighty-third  Pennsyl 
vania  on  its  right,  repulsed  this  attack  also. 

Among  the  regiments  in  this  celebrated  fight  of  Vincent's  was  the  Forty- 
fourth  New  York,  or  the  Ellsworth  Regiment,  as  it  was  sometimes  called. 
It  was  a  remarkable  organization,  composed  of  the  very  best  material,  most 
of  the  men  having  been  selected  at  large  throughout  the  State,  in  conformity 
to  a  high  standard  of  physical  perfection  and  intelligence.  It  was  led  by 

This  brigade  arrived  about  4.45  p.  m.    See  official  reports. 


48  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Col.  James  C.  Rice,  who  took  command  of  the  brigade  during  the  action. 
Vincent  having  fallen  with  a  mortal  wound.  The  Forty-fourth  lost,  during 
its  short  action  in  defense  of  Little  Round  Top,  in  in  killed  and  wounded. 
Capt.  Lucius  S.  Larrabee,  Lieut.  Eugene  L.  Dunham,  and  Lieut.  Benjamin 
N.  Thomas  were  among  the  killed.  Colonel  Rice,  having  succeeded  to  the 
command  of  the  brigade,  the  command  of  the  regiment  devolved  on  Lieut. 
Col.  Freeman  Conner. 

On  the  Confederate  side,  General  Hood  was  wounded  early  in  the  engage 
ment,  and  General  Law  was  placed  in  charge  of  his  division.  Seeing  the 
successful  resistance  made  by  the  regiments  holding  the  centre  of  Vincent's 
Brigade  —  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  and  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania  — 
Law  pushed  his  forces  farther  up  the  ravine  and  along  the  base  of  Little 
Round  Top  in  an  attempt  to  flank  the  Sixteenth  Michigan,  which  held  the 
right  of  the  brigade.  This  attempt  would  have  succeeded  had  it  not  been 
for  the  watchful  care  and  energy  of  General  Warren,  who,  seeing  the  need 
of  reinforcements,  detached  the  leading  regiment  of  Weed's  (Third)  Brigade 
of  Ayres'  Division,  together  with  Hazlett's  Battery  —  D,  Fifth  U.S.  Artillery  - 
and  hurried  these  troops  into  position  in  time  to  protect  the  threatened  point. 
It  was  only  by  the  greatest  exertion  that  Hazlett's  teams,  plunging  under 
the  lashing  of  the  drivers,  succeeded  in  dragging  the  heavy  cannon  up  the 
steep  and  rocky  hillside,  the  battery  ascending  the  hill  in  rear  of  the  infantry. 

This  regiment  was  the  One  hundred  and  fortieth  New  York,  a  Rochester 
regiment,  led  by  Col.  Patrick  H.  O'Rorke,  an  officer  of  the  regular  army  and 
a  recent  graduate  of  West  Point,  who  had  been  assigned  to  its  command.  On 
reaching  the  summit,  the  men  of  the  One  hundred  and  fortieth  encountered 
a  storm  of  bullets,  while  to  their  eyes  was  suddenly  revealed  the  grand  pano 
rama  of  the  battlefield.  But  there  was  no  halting  or  delay,  not  even  to  load. 
Hastily  dismounting,  and  throwing  the  reins  of  his  horse  to  the  nearest  man, 
O'Rorke  drew  his  sabre,  and  shouting  to  his  men  to  follow  led  the  way  down 
the  rocky  slope.  The  regiment  formed  on  the  right  of  Vincent's  Brigade, 
protecting  the  right  of  the  Sixteenth  Michigan,  which  otherwise  would  have 
been  outflanked  and  forced  to  yield. 

It  only  took  a  moment  for  the  One  hundred  and  fortieth  to  load,  after  which 
it  delivered  an  effective  fire  that  checked  the  advance  of  Robertson's  Texans, 
and  forced  the  enemy  to  retire  and  remain  under  cover  of  the  opposite  woods, 
while  Hazlett's  guns  thundered  from  the  summit  and  sent  their  shrapnel  into 
the  crowded  ranks  of  Hood's  Division.  But  the  One  hundred  and  fortieth  New 
York  did  not  accomplish  its  success  without  a  terrible  loss  of  men  and  officers, 
its  gallant  and  gifted  young  colonel  having  fallen  dead  during  the  fight. 

The  One  hundred  and  fortieth  belonged  to  the  Third  Brigade — Weed's  — 
of  Ayres'  Division,  and  after  it  had  left  the  column  in  response  to  Warren's 
impetuous  demand  for  aid,  the  three  other  regiments' of  the  brigade  continued 
their  march  to  Plum  Run,  where  they  formed  line  in  support  of  Watson's 
Battery,  then  severely  pressed  by  the  enemy.  This  brigade,  led  by  Captain 
Moore  of  the  Third  Corps  staff,  had  reported  to  General  Sickles  in  compliance 
with  his  previous  request  that  a  brigade  be  sent  to  Ward's  support.  General 
Weed  occupied  this  position  but  a  few  minutes  when  he  was  ordered  to  take 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURC 


49 


these  three  regiments  back  to  Little  Round  Top  at  double-quick,  whither  they 
went  and  formed  on  O'Rorke's  right.  Little  Round  Top  was  now  held  by  two 
brigades  —  eight  regiments — and  the  danger  was  passed. 

As  soon  as  Weed's  Brigade  \vas  in  position,  skirmishers  were  sent  down 
the  slope  in  front  where  they  secured  places  among  the  rocks,  while  the 
brigade  from  its  higher  position  on  the  hill  delivered  its  fire  also.  General 
Weed  had  barely  completed  the  disposition  of  his  troops  when  he  was 
mortally  wounded  while  standing  on  the  summit  near  the  battery.  Lieutenant 
Hazlett,  the  artillery  commandant,  while  bending  over  the  fallen  general  to 
render  assistance,  fell  dead  beside  his  chief. 

The  summit  and  western  slope  of  Little  Round  Top  —  where  Weed  and 
Hazlett  were  killed  —  was  exposed  to  a  deadly  fire  from  the  Confederate 
sharpshooters  posted  on  the  opposite  side  of  Plurn  Run  Valley  among  the 
rocky  vantage  grounds  of  the  Devil's  Den.  It  was  a  long  distance  for  the 
ordinary  weapons  of  those  days ;  but  some  of  the  Confederate  riflemen  were 
provided  with  heavy  target  rifles  to  which  telescopic  sights  were  affixed. 
They  kept  up  an  effective  fire  that  drove  the  Union  troops  on  Little  Round 
Top  to  the  cover  of  the  large  rocks  thickly  strewn  there.  A  detachment  of 
Berdan's  United  States  Sharpshooters  from  the  Third  Corps  were  brought  up 
on  Little  Round  Top,  who,  in  turn,  aided  by  their  breech-loading,  long-range 
Sharpe's  rifles,  soon  forced  the  Confederate  sharpshooters  to  seek  shelter,  and 
effectually  checked  their  activity.  This  detachment  belonged  to  the  Second  U. 
S.  Sharpshooters  (Birney's  Division),  which  in  skirmishing  with  Law's  Brigade 
had  fallen  back,  passed  over  Big  Round  Top,  only  to  appear  again  on  Law's 
right  flank,  and  subsequently,  as  shown,  on  the  front  slope  of  Little  Round  Top. 

The  two  brigades  —  Vincent's  and  Weed's,  with  Hazlett's  Battery  —  which 
occupied  Little  Round  Top,  lost  565  there  in  killed  and  wounded,  the  killed 
including  the  two  brigade  commanders,  Vincent  and  Weed,  together  with 
Colonel  O'Rorke  and  Lieutenant  Hazlett.  Of  the  casualties  mentioned,  486 
of  them  occurred  in  the  four  regiments  of  Vincent's  Brigade  and  in  the  One 
hundred  and  fortieth  New  York. 

There  was  another  New  York  regiment  in  Weed's  Brigade,  the  One  hun 
dred  and  forty-sixth,  Col.  Kenner  Garrard,  who  succeeded  to  the  command 
of  the  brigade  when  General  Weed  was  killed.  Garrard  was  also  an  officer 
of  the  regular  army  and  a  graduate  of  the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point, 
under  whose  tuition  and  discipline  the  One  hundred  and  forty-sixth  became 
worthy  of  the  place  which  it  held  as  part  of  the  famous  Regular  Division. 
During  the  action  on  Little  Round  Top,  it  held  the  right  centre  of  Weed's 
Brigade,  where,  owing  to  its  sheltered  position  among  the  rocks,  its  casualties 
were  less  than  those  of  the  troops  farther  to  the  left. 

The  fighting  at  the  Devil's  Den  was  confined  to  three  brigades  of  Hood's 
Division  on  the  one  side  and  Ward's  Brigade  on  the  other,  the  latter  receiving 
material  assistance  from  De  Trobriand.  Ward's  regiments  held  their  ground 
with  such  tenacity  that  General  Law,  now  in  command  of  Hood's  Division, 
sent  an  urgent  appeal  to  McLaws,  whose  division  joined  his  left,  to  advance. 

General  Law's  account  of  the  movements  on  this  part  of  the  field  indicates 
that  the  adjoining  brigade  of  McLaws'  Division  did  not  move  to  the  attack 


cjo  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

until  the  fighting1  at  the  Devil's  Den  and  its  vicinity  had  been  going  on  for 
over  an  hour.  This  delay  was  due  to  the  Confederate  order  of  battle  requir 
ing  the  brigades  to  attack  in  succession  from  right  to  left,  with  the  intention  of 
breaking  and  doubling  up  the  enemy's  line  by  a  continuous  flank  attack. 
Hence,  McLaws  was  waiting  for  Law's  (Hood's)  Division  to  crush  in  the  Union 
left  before  taking  up  the  movement  himself.  But  Law  was  unable  to  make 
any  headway  for  a  long  time,  and  so  he  urged  an  advance  by  McLaws  to  pre 
vent  the  enemy  from  sending  reinforcements  against  his  (Law's)  front. 

In  the  meanwhile  General  Lee,  whose  headquarters  were  near  the  Con 
federate  centre,  on  Seminary  Ridge,  had  been  awaiting  anxiously  the  sound  of 
the  conflict  which  would,  as  it  approached,  announce  that  the  enemy's  flank  had 
been  driven  in  the  same  as  at  Chancellorsville.  But  the  noise  of  the  battle 
came  from  a  different  direction  than  where  it  was  expected ;  and,  for  an  hour  or 
more  the  sullen,  steady  roar  told  of  a  stubborn,  well-contested  fight.  As  Gen 
eral  Lee  listened  attentively  to  the  distant  sound  of  the  steady,  prolonged 
musketry  he  became  impatient  and  nervous.  Some  who  were  near  him  noted 
that  in  place  of  the  calm  self-possession,  so  characteristic  of  his  usual  de 
meanor,  his  manner  was  marked  with  signs  of  uneasiness  and  great  anxiety. 
And  well  it  might  be.  The  sun  was  getting  low,  and  yet  the  Confederate 
battle  line  west  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road  were  motionless.  It  was  half-past 
six  before  the  first  Confederate  brigade — Barksdale's  —  crossed  the  Emmits 
burg  Road. 

In  response  to  General  Law's  request,  made  by  that  officer  in  person,  Ker- 
shaw's  South  Carolina  Brigade,  which  had  been  waiting  for  orders,  then 
moved  forward  to  attack  De  Trobriand,  who  with  two  regiments  held  a  strong 
position  on  a  rocky,  wooded  knoll,  between  the  Wheatfield  and  the  Peach 
Orchard.  Kershaw's  left  wing  —  three  regiments  —  moved  against  the  south 
front  of  the  Peach  Orchard,  while  two  of  his  regiments  attacked  the  rocky 
knoll.  Kershaw  was  supported  on  his  right  rear  by  Semmes'  Georgia  Brigade. 

De  Trobriand  having  sent  three  of  his  five  regiments  to  the  support  of 
Ward  and  Graham,  was  in  great  need  of  reinforcements.  Just  then  Barnes' 
Division,  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  one  brigade  of  which  —  Vincent's  —  had  been 
ordered  to  Little  Round  Top,  pressed  forward  with  its  two  remaining  brigades 
— Tilton's  and  Sweitzer's — and  went  into  position  in  support  of  De  Trobriand. 
Tilton  occupied  the  wooded  knoll  referred  to,  west  of  the  Wheatfield,  and 
Sweitzer  formed  on  his  left.  Between  Tilton's  right  and  the  Peach  Orchard 
was  a  large  field  in  which  no  troops  had  been  placed,  this  vacancy  in  the  line 
being  covered  by  Phillips'  and  Bigelow's  batteries,  posted  250  yards  to  the 
rear  and  along  the  road.  Tilton  refused  five  companies  of  his  right  regiment 
to  further  cover  this  open  space  and  protect  his  flank. 

When  Kershaw  advanced  he  directed  two  of  his  regiments  —  Third  and 
Seventh  South  Carolina  —  against  this  rocky  knoll  and  piece  of  woods.  These 
two  regiments,  advancing  from  the  direction  of  the  Rose  house  and  barn, 
crossed  the  low,  intervening  ravine,  and  seized  the  knoll  after  a  brief  contest; 
but  his  three  left  regiments  suffered  so  severely  by  the  fire  from  the  Peach 
Orchard  and  from  the  batteries  on  the  road  that  their  advance  was  checked. 
That  Kershaw  should  be  able  to  occupy  the  important  position  on  the  knoll 
"with  so  little  opposition  was  due  to  an  unfortunate  and  unnecessary  order  from 
General  Barnes  by  which  the  two  fine  brigades  of  Tilton  and  Sweitzer  were 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  51 

withdrawn  while  Kershaw  was  making  his  attack.*  These  troops  withdrew  to 
a  position  in  rear  of  the  road,  Tilton  taking  position  there  in  support  of  Bige- 
lovv's  Battery.  Tilton  was  ordered  to  withdraw  because  one  of  Kershaw's  left 
regiments,  which  was  advancing  towards  the  open  space  between  the  knoll  and 
the  Peach  Orchard,  threatened  Tilton's  right  flank.  But  any  withdrawal  on  this 
account  proved  unnecessary,  as  this  regiment  of  Kershaw's  was  driven  back, 
with  terrible  loss,  by  a  canister  fire  from  Bigelow  and  Phillips.  This  narra 
tion  of  details  becomes  necessary  here  in  view  of  the  important  fact  that  the 
first  break  in  Sickles'  line  occurred  at  this  particular  point.  But  this  did  not 
occur  until  about  6  o'clock  and  the  position  was  soon  retaken. 

This  ground  was  regained  during  the  course  of  the  engagement  by  some 
troops  from  Caldwell's  Division  of  the  Second  Corps,  Kershaw's  two  regi 
ments,  together  with  one  from  Semmes'  Brigade,  being  driven  from  the 
knoll  and  out  of  the  woods,  and  forced  to  retreat  in  disorder  to  the  cover  of  the 
Rose  buildings.  Sweitzer's  Brigade,  re-entering  the  fight,  took  part  in  this 
counter  movement,  in  which  they  were  conspicuous  for  gallantry  and  heroism. 
But  the  recapture  came  too  late,  and  the  troops  which  effected  it  could  have 
been  utilized  better  at  other  points  on  the  line,  if  this  position  had  only  been 
held  at  the  start. 

For  over  an  hour  the  contest  had  raged  in  the  woods  around  the  Wheat- 
field  with  varying  success,  when  Caldwell's  Division,  of  the  Second  Corps, 
then  massed  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  about  one  mile  distant,  was  ordered  at  5:15 
p.  m.  to  Birney's  further  support.  This  division  —  formerly  Hancock's  —  con 
tained  four  brigades, —  Cross's,  Zook's,  Kelly's,  and  Brooke's.  One  of  these  -— 
Kelly's  —  was  the  famous  Irish  Brigade  with  its  green  flags, —  men  from  the 
land  across  the  sea,  the  land  whose  sons  have  fought  successfully  the  battles 
of  every  country  but  their  own. 

The  Sixty-third,  Sixty-ninth,  and  Eighty-eighth  New  York  were  in  this 
brigade.  But  it  was  only  the  remnants  of  the^e  gallant  regiments  that  fol 
lowed  their  riven  colors  into  the  historic  Wheatfield  that  day.  The  casualties 
of  many  hard-fought  fields  had  reduced  their  numbers  so  that  each  regi 
ment  had  been  consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  two  companies.  The  men 
were  armed  with  the  same  old  buck-and-ball  muskets,  calibre  69,  which  they 
had  carried  from  the  beginning  of  the  war. 

When  the  order  was  given  for  the  Irish  Brigade  to  "  Fall  in,"  it  was 
formed  in  close  column  by  regiments.  There  was  a  short  delay  in  moving 
during  which  the  regiments  stood  at  "  Order  arms."  Father  Corby,  the 
brigade  chaplain,  stepped  upon  a  large  rock  in  front  of  the  men,  and  calling 
their  attention  announced  his  willingness  to  give  them,  one  and  all,  the  bene 
fit  of  absolution  before  entering  the  fight.  The  sun-browned  and  war-worn 
veterans  knelt  upon  the  ground  with  bowed  and  uncovered  heads  while  the 
holy  man  with  outstretched  hand  pronounced  the  solemn  words  of  the  gen 
eral  absolution:  "  Domimis  nostcr  Jesus  Christus  vos  absolvat,  ct  ego,  auctoritate 
ipsius,  jos  absok'O  ab  omni  rinculo  ex  communication's  et  intcrdicti  in  quantum 
possum  et  vos  indigctis,  dcindc  ego  absolvo  vos  a  peccatis  vcstris  in  nomine  Patris,  ct 

*  See  official  reports  of  Birney,  De  Trobriand,  and  Sweitzer;  also,  Smith's  History 
One  hundred  and  eighteenth  Pennsylvania. 


e2  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Filii,  ct  Spiritus  Sancti.     Amen!  "     Encouraged  by  these  words  the  men  moved 
forward,  many  of  them  to  their  death.* 

Before  receiving  the  order  to  reinforce  Sickles,  Caldwell's  brigades  were 
in  columns  of  regiments  closed  in  mass,  facing  west,  towards  the  Emmitsburg 
Road.  To  reach  the  Wheatfield  they  faced  south,  and  moved  off  left  in  front.  It 
was  after  5  o'clock  when  this  division  started.  Descending  the  low  ground  at 
Plum  Run,  and  crossing  the  road  running  from  Little  Round  Top  to  the  Peach 
Orchard,  the  division  deployed  on  the  double-quick  and  entered  the  Wheat- 
field.  It  should  be  noted  that  while  Sickles  was  promised  that  supports  would 
be  sent  to  his  assistance,  these  reinforcements  as  they  arrived,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  Weed's  Brigade,  were  not  placed  under  his  command,  but  each  acted 
independently  of  the  Third  Corps.  Sickles  outranked  both  Sykes  and  Han 
cock  ;  but  Sykes  interpreted  his  instructions  as  relieving  his  "  troops  from  any 
call  from  the  commander  of  the  Third  Corps."  and  Meade's  orders  were  that 
Caldwell's  Division  should  "  report  to  General  Sykes. "f 

The  reserves  are  now  up,  and  in  hand.  The  left  is  now  properly  held. 
The  exigency  is  passed  for  the  Third  Corps  to  hold  the  enemy  on  its  front, 
except  as  it  might  be  deemed  best  to  fight  it  out  there.  But  the  Third  Corps, 
through  lack  of  orders  from  the  general  commanding,  continued  to  fight  after 
this  exigency  had  passed. 

Of  Caldwell's  four  brigades,  Cross  fought  in  the  woods  on  the  south  of  the 
Wheatfield  ;  Kelly  and  Zook  —  the  latter  directed  by  Major  Tremain  of  Sickles' 
staff — entered  the  woods  on  the  west  side  of  the  Wheatfield,  and,  driving 
Kershaw's  troops  from  the  rocky  knoll,  recaptured  that  position,  forcing 
this  part  of  Kershaw's  command  back  across  the  morass  to  the  shelter  of 
the  Rose  buildings ;  Brooke,  advancing  through  the  Wheatfield,  drove  Sem- 
mes'  Georgianas  back,  through  the  woods,  across  a  tributary  of  Plum  Run, 
up  the  steep,  wooded  slope  on  the  farther  side,  and  out  into  the  open  fields  on 
the  south,  Brooke's  regiments  attaining  in  this  gallant  charge  the  farthest 
advanced  point  held  at  any  part  of  the  line. 

As  Colonel  Cross  passed  the  road  General  Hancock  told  him  that  he 
could  wear  a  star  in  his  next  battle.  Cross  replied  that  the  promise  came  too 
late,  for  this  was  his  last  fight.  The  gallant  veteran  fell  dead  a  few  minutes 
later  while  leading  a  charge  of  his  brigade.  General  Zook,  whose  brigade 
went  into  action  on  the  right  of  the  Wheatfield,  was  killed. 

There  were  some  fine  regiaients  in  Caldwell's  Division.  The  Sixty-first  New 
York,  whose  colonelcy  had  been  held  successively  by  Generals  Barlow  and 
Miles,  acquitted  itself  on  this  bloody  field  in  a  manner  that  reflected  credit 
on  its  former  commanders.  Under  Lieut.  Col.  Broady  it  sustained  for  half  an 
hour  a  severe  fire  without  yielding  ground  until  relieved  by  some  troops  of  the 
Fifth  Corps.  Eight  previous  battles  had  reduced  its  ranks  to  90  men,  of  whom 
62  fell  dead  or  wounded  in  that  "  maelstrom  of  death  "  at  the  Wheatfield. 

The  Fifty-second  New  York,  a  German  regiment,  under  Lieut.  Col.  Charles 
C.  Freudenberg,  was  in  Zook's  Brigade.  The  major  of  this  regiment,  Edward 

*  "  He  explained,  saying  that  each  one  could  receive  the  benefit  of  the  absolution  by  making.a  sincere  act 
of  contrition  and  firmly  resolving  to  embrace  the  first  opportunity  of  confessing  their  sins,  urging  them  to 
do  their  duty  well,  and  reminding  them  of  the  high  and  sacred  nature  of  their  trust  as  soldiers  and  the  noble 
object  for  which  they  fought,  ending  by  saying  that  the  Catholic  church  refuses  Christian  burial  to  the 
soldier  who  turns  his  back  upon  the  foe  or  deserts  his  flag."  (Gen.  St.  Clair  A.  Mulholland,  colooel  of  the 
One  hundred  and  sixteenth  Pennsylvania,  Irish  Brigade,  at  Gettysburg.) 

t  See  official  reports  of  Sykes  and  Hancock. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Venuti,  was  killed.  The  Fifty-seventh  New  York,  Lieut.  Col.  Alford  B.  Chap 
man,  was  Zook's  old  regiment,  and  was  fighting  gallanty  near  the  general 
when  he  fell.  The  Sixty-sixth  New  York,  of  the  same  brigade,  made  a  des 
perate  fight  in  which  Col.  O.  H.  Morris  and  Lieut.  Col.  John  S.  Hammell 
were  wounded.  Capt.  E.  F.  Munn,  of  this  regiment,  was  killed  by  a  shell 
before  the  division  left  Cemetery  Ridge,  and  Capt.  George  H.  Ince  fell  in  the 
fighting  near  the  Wheatfield. 

The  Sixty-fourth  New  York,  Brooke's  Brigade,  took  185  enlisted  men  and 
19  officers  into  the  fight,  losing  98  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  Colonel 
Bingham  was  wounded,  after  which  Maj.  L.  W.  Bradley  was  in  command. 
One  captain  and  four  lieutenants  were  among  the  killed. 

It  was  after  six  o'clock  when  the  troops  of  Ward's  and  De  Trobriand's 
brigades  were  relieved  by  the  Fifth  Corps  and  Caldwell's  Division  of  the 
Second  Corps ;  but  Graham  and  Humphreys  were  left  to  hold  on  without 
help.  One  of  two  things  should  have  been  done  at  this  juncture.  Their 
line  should  have  been  reinforced,  or,  else,  withdrawn  after  the  arrival  of  the 
reserves  on  the  left. 

Up  to  this  time  Birney's  remaining  brigade  —  Graham's  —  which  held  the 
angle  at  the  Peach  Orchard,  had  been  comparatively  inactive,  the  Confederate 
attack  on  that  point  having  been  delayed  while  awaiting  the  result  of  Hood's 
effort  to  turn  Sickles'  left.  Already  two  brigades  of  McLaws'  Division  had  be 
come  engaged  in  the  attack  on  Birney,  and  now  McLaws  orders  his  two  re 
maining  brigades  —  Wofford's  and  Barksdale's  —  to  assault  the  angle  at  the 
Peach  Orchard.  Part  of  Kershaw's  Brigade  attacked  the  south  front  of  the 
angle,  while  Barksdale,  supported  by  Wofford,  advanced  against  the  west.  It 
was  three  brigades  against  ine ;  and  after  a  desperate  resistance,  in  which  one 
of  Graham's  regiments*  held  its  ground  until  76  per  cent,  of  its  men  were  cut 
down,  the  Confederates  sprang  forward  and  seized  the  position.  The  angle 
was  crushed  in,  not  so  much  because  the  position  was  tactically  weak  as  on 
account  of  a  lack  of  troops. 

Many  writers  have  dwelt  long  and  learnedly  on  the  weakness  of  salient 
angles  in  explaining  the  loss  of  this  position.  But  the  troops  in  the  Peach 
Orchard  were  fighting  long  after  the  two  brigades  of  Barnes'  Division  had 
withdrawn  from  the  rocky  knoll  on  their  left.f  Moreover,  the  first  break  in 
Graham's  ranks  occurred  at  a  point  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road  instead  of  at 
the  angle ;  and,  under  the  circumstances,  Barksdale  and  his  supports  would 
have  broken  through  at  this  point  on  the  road  just  the  same  if  the  line  had 
extended  a  mile  in  either  direction.  The  much  talked  of  cross  fire  and  enfilade 
of  the  Confederate  artillery  did  not  drive  one  infantryman  from  his  place,  and, 
as  indicated  by  the  official  reports,  inflicted  but  few  casualties.  The  fighting  on 
the  south  front  of  the  Third  Corps  line  had  been  more  than  two  hours  in 
duration. 

Flushed  with  success  the  veterans  of  Barksdale  and  Wofford  poured  through 
the  gap,  and,  driving  all  before  them,  the  charging  yell  of  the  Confederates 
rang  out  above  the  roar  of  battle.  Kershaw's  troops,  no  longer  forced  to 

*One  hundred  and  forty-first  Pennsylvania. 

f  This  position  was  retaken  promptly  by  Zook's  and  Kelly's  brigades  of  Caldwell's 
Division. 


54  MEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

protect  their  left  flank,  swept  forward,  and  the  Union  line  at  the  Wheatfield 
was  outflanked.  Alexander's  Battalion  of  Confederate  artillery  followed  Barks- 
dale  promptly,  and  galloping  forward  across  the  Emmitsburg  Road  planted  17 
guns  in  a  commanding  position  on  the  high  ground  just  vacated  by  the 
Union  troops  and  batteries.  The  Massachusetts  batteries  of  Phillips  and 
Blgelow,  posted  along  the  crossroad  north  of  the  Wheatfield,  which  hitherto 
had  held  Kershaw  in  check,  were  driven  back  by  Barksdale's  advance,  Bige- 
low  losing  four  of  his  guns  temporarily,  and  both  sustaining  severe  losses 
in  men  and  horses.  The  Tenth  New  York  Independent  Battery  had  been 
temporarily  attached  to  Phillips'  command  prior  to  the  battle,  and  part  of  his 
losses  occurred  among  these  New  York  artillerymen.  But  these  batteries 
did  not  yield  their  ground  until  they  had  exacted  a  fearful  price  in  blood  and 
life  from  their  assailants. 

General  Graham,  while  striving  vainly  to  rally  the  fragments  of  his  broken 
line,  was  wounded  and  made  a  prisoner.  General  Sickles,  who  had  exposed 
himself  fearlessly  at  every  threatened  point  during  the  past  three  hours,  fell 
severely  wounded  while  near  the  Trostle  House,  and  was  carried  to  a  hospital 
where  he  suffered  amputation  of  a  leg.  Upon  General  Sickles  removal  from 
the  field  the  command  of  the  Third  Corps  devolved  on  General  Birney. 

When  Barksdale  broke  through  Graham's  line  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road 
his  brigade  of  Mississippians  veered  to  the  left,  following  some  of  Graham's 
regiments  which  retreated  in  that  direction.  Wofford's  Brigade,  which  sup 
ported  Barksdale,  and  which  had  not  been  engaged,  now  moved  forward  in 
"  fine  style  "  down  the  road  towards  the  Wheatfield,  some  of  Kershaw's  troops 
joining  in  the  movement.  At  the  same  time,  Anderson's  and  Benning's 
brigades,  of  Hood's  Division,  which  had  been  attacking  Ward,  pressed  forward 
in  a  last  and  successful  effort.  Caldwell's  Division  found  itself  not  only  hard 
pressed  in  front,  but  strongly  outflanked  on  its  right  by  Wofford  and  Kershaw. 

It  was  at  this  desperate  juncture  that  Caldwell  appealed  to  Sweitzer  for 
help.  Sweitzer's  three  regiments,  responding  promptly,  re-entered  the  fight, 
and  advanced  to  the  farther  edge  of  the  Wheatfield.  But  it  was  all  too  late, 
and  useless.  Caldwell's  retreating  brigades  soon  left  Sweitzer  hemmed  in  on 
thre^  sides  by  a  destructive  fire.  Before  his  men  could  extricate  themselves 
the  fighting  became  close,  desperate,  and,  at  places,  hand  to  hand.  Col.  Har 
rison  Jeffords,  of  the  Fourth  Michigan,  was  killed  here  by  a  bayonet  thrust 
while  gallantly  defending  his  colors.  Jeffords  shot  a  soldier  with  his  revolver, 
but  was  bayonetted  by  another,  who  in  turn  fell  by  a  shot  from  Major  Hall's 
revolver.  But  the  Michigan  men  saved  their  colors. 

At  the  same  time  that  Caldwell's  Division  of  the  Second  Corps  was  moving 
to  Birney's  relief,  two  brigades  of  regulars,  of  Ayres'  Division,  Fifth  Corps, 
were  hurrying  forward  to  the  same  spot.  They  were  the  brigades  of  Day  and 
Burbank,  the  flower  of  the  army.  Formed  in  two  lines,  Burbank's  in  front,  they 
advanced  across  Plum  Run  from  Little  Round  Top,  and  ascended  the  opposite 
slope.  They  halted  at  the  eastern  edge  of  the  Wheatfield,  because  Caldwell's 
lines  were  sweeping  forward  across  their  immediate  front  and  perpendicular 
to  it.  The  regulars  awaited  the  issue  of  Caldwell's  fight,  and  then,  swinging  to 
the  left  towards  the  Devil's  Den,  faced  the  advancing  ranks  of  the  Confederates. 
Again  its  was  too  late.  Like  the  other  reinforcements  that  had  been  whipped 
in  detail,  the  regulars,  finding  themselves  outflanked  both  left  and  right,  were 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  55 

forced  to  retreat.  But  they  moved  off  the  field  in  admirable  style,  with  well- 
aligned  ranks,  facing  about  at  times  to  deliver  their  fire  and  check  pursuit.  Re- 
crossing  Plum  Run  Valley,  under  a  storm  of  bullets  that  told  fearfully  on  their 
ranks,  they  returned  to  their  original  position.  In  this  action  the  regulars  sus 
tained  severe  losses,  but  gave  ample  evidence  of  the  fighting  qualities,  discipline, 
and  steadiness  under  fire  which  made  them  the  pattern  and  admiration  of  the 
entire  army.  In  Burbank's  Brigade,  out  of  the  80  officers  who  went  into  action, 
40  were  killed  or  wounded;  and  of  less  than  900  enlisted  men  there  were  408 
casualties. 

It  was  6 :3O  p.  m.*  when  Barksdale's  Brigade,  followed  by  Wofford's,  broke 
through  the  line  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road  at  the  Sherfy  House.  It  was  not 
until  now  that  General  Lee  was  able  to  open  his  attack  "  up  the  Emmitsburg 
Road,"  as  he  had  originally  planned  and  directed.  His  "  oblique  order  of 
battle  "  now,  and  for  the  first  time,  became  feasible.  During  the  previous 
hours  of  fighting  on  Birney's  front  no  infantry  attack  had  been  made  on 
Humphreys'  Division,  which  lay  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road.  But  as  Gra 
ham's  Brigade.was  forced  back,  the  left  of  Humphreys'  Division  became  exposed 
and  unprotected.  Humphreys  had  now  only  two  brigades,  Burling's  New 
Jersey  Brigade  having  been  sent,  at  the  beginning  of  the  action,  to  Birney's 
support.  In  accordance  with  the  Confederate  order  of  battle,  as  soon  as  Mc- 
Laws  became  well  engaged,  Wilcox's  Alabama  Brigade,  the  right  brigade  of 
R.  H.  Anderson's f  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  moved  forward  to  the  road  and 
attacked  Humphreys.  Wilcox,  having  advanced  and  become  engaged,  the 
Confederate  brigades  on  his  left  —  Perry's  and  Wright's,  also  of  Hill's  Corps  — 
took  up  the  movement  in  succession. 

The  position  at  the  Peach  Orchard  having  been  lost,  General  Birney  or 
dered  Humphreys  to  swing  back  his  left  so  as  to  connect  with  the  line  at  the 
Wheatfield.  Humphreys'  two  brigades  —  Carr's  and  Brewster's  —  formed  a 
line  accordingly;  but,  with  the  Confederate  rush  through  the  Peach  Orchard 
the  line  at  the  Wheatfield,  now  held  by  troops  from  the  Fifth  and  Second 
Corps,  was  outflanked,  and  instead  of  connecting  with  Humphreys'  left  it  fell 
back  slowly  across  Plum  Run.  Longstreet's  two  divisions  were  no\v  in  pos 
session  of  the  field  as  far  as  Plum  Run,  including  the  Peach  Orchard,  the 
Wheatfield,  and  Devil's  Den,  on  the  south  front;  while  Anderson's  Division, 
of  Hill's  Corps,  was  slowly  forcing  Humphreys  back  from  the  west  front  of  the 
line. 

When  Humphreys'  Division  went  into  position  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road 
it  made  no  close  connection  with  the  Second  Corps  on  Cemetery  Ridge, 
Humphreys'  right  being  about  500  yards  in  advance  of  Hancock's  left.  To 
cover  this  interval,  General  Gibbon,  of  the  Second  Corps,  placed  there  two 
regiments  of  Harrow's  Brigade  —  the  Eighty-second  New  York  and  Fifteenth 
Massachusetts  —  which  rendered  excellent  service  in  protecting  the  right 
flank  of  Humphreys'  Division.  These  two  regiments  threw  up  a  hastily  con- 

*  General  Wilcox,  whose  brigade  adjoined  Barksdale's,  says,  in  his  official  report,  that 
it  was  6:20  p.  m.,  when  McLaws'  (Barksdale's)  troops  advanced  to  the  attack. 

t  There  were  two  generals  of  this  name  on  the  field  —  Major  General  Richard  H. 
Anderson,  who  commanded  a  division  in  Hill's  Corps,  and  Brigadier  General  George 
T.  Anderson,  who  commanded  a  brigade  in  Hood's  Division  of  Longstreet's  Corps. 
Both  were  engaged  in  the  attacks  on  Sickles,  during  which  General  George  T.  Anderson 
was  severely  wounded. 


c(5  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

structed  breastwork  of  fence  rails  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road  to  the  right  and 
north  of  the  Codori  House.  They  held  this  point  as  long  as  any  troops  on 
that  line  remained,  yielding  ground  only  when  the  entire  line  fell  back.  Lieut. 
Col.  James  Huston,  who  commanded  the  Eighty-second  New  York,  was  killed 
in  this  action. 

But  Humphreys'  Division  was  forced  steadily  back  by  the  impetuous  onset 
of  Anderson's  brigades,  and  retreated  to  Cemetery  Ridge,  where  it  formed  on 
the  same  ground  that  Caldwell  had  occupied  at  the  opening  of  the  fight, 
the  pursuing  enemy  being  checked  by  a  well-directed  flank  fire  from  the  Nine 
teenth  Maine,  of  Harrow's  Brigade.  When  Humphreys'  troops  reformed  on 
this  line,  the  division  had  the  appearance  of  a  single  brigade, —  but  with  many 
colors.  The  six  New  York  flags  of  the  Excelsior  Brigade  were  still  there, 
although  778  of  the  men  who  marched  with  them  that  day  had  been  struck 
down  by  the  bullets  of  the  enemy.  The  brigade  numbered  only  1,837,  a^  told, 
that  morning. 

While  the  Excelsior  Brigade  was  slowly  falling  back,  Col.  William  R.  Brew- 
ster,  its  commander,  noticed  that  the  enemy  were  in  possession  of  three  guns  be 
longing  to  Turnbull's  Battery, —  F.  &  K.,  Third  U.  S.  Detachments  including 
about  150  men,  from  various  regiments  of  the  brigade,  led  by  Colonels  Potter 
of  the  Second,  Leonard  of  the  Third,  and  Burns  of  the  Fourth  Excelsior, 
charged  and  recaptured  the  guns,*  after  a  short  but  desperate  fight,  in  which 
they  encountered  a  portion  of  Perry's  Florida  Brigade.  Sergt.  Thomas  Horan, 
of  the  Third  Excelsior,  captured  the  colors  of  the  Eighth  Florida,  while  the 
major  of  the  Florida  regiment,  and  thirty  of  his  men,  were  made  prisoners  by 
the  gallant  Excelsiors. 

In  the  One  hundred  and  twentieth  New  York,  a  regiment  belonging  to  the 
Excelsior  Brigade,  seventeen  officers  were  killed  or  wounded  during  the  battle; 
eight  of  whom  lost  their  lives.  This  loss  in  officers  killed  was  not  exceeded 
in  any  other  Union  regiment  at  Gettysburg.  The  Fourth  Excelsior  lost  fifteen 
officers,  five  of  whom  were  killed.  Col.  John  S.  Austin,  of  the  Third  Excel 
sior,  was  wounded,  and  his  horse  was  killed.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Leonard 
succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  regiment. 

General  Sickles  having  been  wounded  and  carried  from  the  field,  General 
Meade  directed  Hancock  to  assume  command  of  the  Third  Corps  in  addition 
to  his  own,  by  which  arrangement  the  immediate  command  of  the  Second 
Corps  devolved  on  General  Gibbon.  The  absence  of  Caldwell's  Division  made 
it  necessary  to  establish  a  line  along  this  portion  of  Cemetery  Ridge.  Gibbon 
extended  his  front  by  putting  in  his  reserve  brigade  —  Harrow's  —  on  his  left. 
A  part  of  the  First  Corps  —  Doubleday's  and  Robinson's  Divisions  —  then 
formed  on  Gibbon's  left.  Williams'  Division,  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  having 
vacated  its  works  on  Gulp's  Hill,  took  position  farther  to  the  left,  while  the 
Sixth  Corps,  the  advance  of  whch  arrived  at  Rock  Creek  about  3  o'clock,  was 
massed  near  Little  Round  Top  in  support  of  the  Fi'fth  Corps. 

General  Hancock  ordered  Willard's  New  York  Brigade,  of  Hays'  Division, 
Second  Corps,  to  the  support  of  the  Third  Corps,  conducting  it  in  person  from 
*  Assisted  by  the  One  hundred  and  fifth  Pennsylvania,  of  Graham's  Brigade. 


4  ° 

9    2 

<<:  -6 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  57 

its  position  on  the  south  slope  of  Cemetery  Hill,  under  a  heavy  artillery  fire, 
about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  to  the  place  on  the  slope  of  Cemetery  Ridge  to 
which  Birney's  right  had  fallen  back.  In  front  of  this  position,  which  was  as 
signed  to  Willard  by  General  Birney,  was  a  thicket  along  Plum  Run,  north  of 
the  Trostle  buildings. 

It  was  now  half-past  7  o'clock,  and  the  sun  had  disappeared  behind  Seminary 
Ridge.*  Willard  formed  line  promptly,  and  gave  the  order  to  advance.  The 
brigade  charged  with  fixed  bayonets  into  the  thicket,  where  it  received  a  deadly 
volley,  at  close  quarters,  from  Barksdale's  Brigade  —  the  enemy  being  screened 
from  view  by  the  bushes  until  the  Union  troops  were  within  a  few  feet. 

Willard's  line  staggered  for  an  instant,  but  rallying  with  a  shout,  drove  the 
enemy  to  the  farther  edge  of  the  thicket.  Here  Barksdale,  by  his  energy  and 
violent  language,  became  very  conspicuous  while  trying  to  rally  his  men,  and 
drew  upon  himself  the  fire  from  several  rifles.  He  fell  mortally  wounded,  and 
died  that  night  within  the  Union  lines. 

Willard's  Brigade  captured  a  large  number  of  Confederates  here.  Emerg 
ing  from  the  farther  side  of  the  thicket,  it  advanced  up  the  slope  towards  the 
Emmitsburg  Road,  under  a  concentrated  fire  of  the  enemy's  batteries  along 
that  road,  but  finding  no  support  on  either  flank,  Willard  ordered  his  brigade 
to  retire.  When  it  had  reached  the  eastern  edge  of  the  thicket  Wlllard  was 
instantly  killed  by  a  cannon  shot  which  carried  away  a  part  of  his  head  and  face. 

The  command  then  devolved  on  Col.  Eliakim  Sherrill,  of  the  One  hundred 
and  twenty-sixth  New  York,  who  subsequently  conducted  the  brigade  to  its 
former  position  in  the  Second  Corps.  This  brigade  consisted  of  four  New 
York  regiments, —  the  Thirty-ninth,  One  hundred  and  eleventh,  One  hundred 
and  twenty-fifth,  and  One  hundred  and  twenty-sixth  New  York.  It  was  com 
manded  by  Col.  George  L.  Willard,  an  officer  of  the  regular  army,  who  had 
been  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  One  hundred  and  twenty-fifth  New  York. 

In  this  charge  the  One  hundred  and  eleventh  New  York  suffered  severely, 
losing  185  men  in  less  than  twenty  minutes,  out  of  about  390  engaged. 

The  Thirty-ninth  New  York  —  "Garibaldi  Guard"-  — did  not  accompany 
the  brigade  on  this  charge,  it  having  been  detached  by  order  of  Colonel  Wil 
lard  and  placed  farther  to  the  left  to  protect  his  flank.  In  the  meanwhile  one 
of  Barksdale's  regiments  —  the  Twenty-first  Mississippi  —  leaving  its  brigade 
behind,  had  pushed  on  past  Willard's  left  flank  without  engagement,  and  in  the 
smoke  and  confusion  crossed  Plum  Run,  where  it  succeeded  in  capturing  Wat 
son's  Battery  —  I,  Fifth  United  States  Artillery.  The  "  Garibaldis,"  accom 
panied  by  Lieut.  Peeples  of  the  battery,  and  led  by  Captain  Fassett  of  the  Third 
Corps  staff,  attacked  the  Mississippians  fiercely,  drove  them  back,  and  recap 
tured  the  guns.  This  regiment  —  Thirty-ninth  New  York  —  was  small  in 
numbers,  having  been  consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  four  companies.  It 
was  commanded  by  Maj.  Hugo  Hildebrandt,  who  was  wounded  in  this  action. 

The  sun  had  gone  down.  The  field  between  Cemetery  Ridge  and  the  Em 
mitsburg  Road  was  a  scene  of  various  counter  movements.  While  some 
portions  of  the  Union  line  were  falling  back  with  shattered  ranks,  others 
were  making  countercharges,  or  holding  isolated  positions  with  a 

*  Sunset,  July  2,  1863,  was  at  7:23,  almanac  time. 


58  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

sullen,  obstinate  resistance.  The  Confederate  yell,  evoked  by  tem 
porary  success,  was  answered  by  defiant,  angry  shouts.  The  view 
was  thickly  veiled  at  times  by  the  smoke  of  the  batteries,  and 
all  concert  of  action  had  ceased.  The  Confederate  advance  had  lost  its  con 
tinuity.  The  battle  had  degenerated  into  a  series  of  independent  conflicts  be 
tween  brigades  or  regiments.  On  the  Union  side  the  action  was  stubbornly 
continued  by  general  officers,  who  sent  in  their  commands  wherever  and  when 
ever  opportunity  occurred,  in  order  to  check  the  advance  of  the  enemy  until 
the  fast  approaching  nightfall  would  end  the  battle  and  enable  them  to  re 
arrange  the  line. 

Through  this  confused  mass  of  contesting  forces,  Wilcox's  Alabama  Brigade 
had  forced  its  way  to  the  line  of  the  Union  Army  on  Cemetery  Ridge, 
striking  a  point  where  it  had  been  divested  of  troops  through  calls  for  rein 
forcements.  Passing  through  a  fringe  of  trees  and  bushes  it  reached  this  point 
on  Cemetery  Ridge  unopposed  and  unnoticed,  until  Hancock,  who  was  busy 
in  "  patching  up "  his  line,  saw  the  dangerous  proximity  of  the  Con 
federate  colors.  He  ordered  the  First  Minnesota,  of  Gibbon's  Division,  to 
attack  them,  and  this  regiment  drove  Wilcox  back,  capturing  the  colors 
of  the  leading  regiment;  but  only  after  a  desperate  fight  in  which  it  sustained 
the  greatest  percentage  of  loss  of  any  Union  regiment  at  Gettysburg,  or  during 
the  war.  In  this  affair  Wilcox's  left  regiments  were  driven  back  by  the  fire 
from  some  troops  belonging  to  Humphreys'  Division,  which  had  fallen  back  to 
this  point. 

About  the  same  time  a  regiment  in  Doubleday's  Division  —  the  Thirteenth 
Vermont  —  charged  forward  to  the  Rogers  House  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road, 
recapturing  the  guns  of  a  Union  battery  —  Weir's,  Fifth  United  States  —  from 
which  the  cannoneers  had  been  driven  by  Perry's  Florida  Brigade. 

On  the  left,  at  Plum  Run,  General  Meade  ordered  forward  two  regiments 
of  Lockwood's  Brigade,  of  the  Twelfth  Corps, —  the  First  Maryland*  and  One 
hundred  and  fiftieth  New  York  —  and  these  troops  drove  the  opposing  Con 
federates  back  nearly  to  the  Peach  Orchard.  The  One  hundred  and 
fiftieth  New  York,  Col.  John  H.  Ketcham,  was  about  600  strong,  and  as  its  long 
line  rushed  forward  with  loud  cheers,  the  scattered  forces  of  the  enemy  fell 
back  without  making  any  serious  resistance.  In  its  advance,  this  regiment 
regained  possession  of  the  four  brass  guns  that  Bigelow's  Battery  lost  in 
the  previous  fighting  near  the  Trostle  House,  and  as  the  One  hundred  and 
fiftieth  returned  to  the  main  line,  its  men,  tired  as  they  were,  dragged  the 
heavy  guns  back  to  a  place  of  safety. 

After  Wilcox's  and  Perry's  Brigades,  of  Anderson's  (Confederate)  Division, 
had  successively  advanced,  Wright's  Georgia  Brigade,  the  third  in  line  from 
the  right,  took  up  the  movement,  and  achieved  the  most  remarkable  success 
of  the  Confederate  forces  on  that  part  of  the  field.  Moving  forward  in  brigade 
front  Wright  encountered  first,  at  the  Codori  House,  the  two  regiments  f  of 
the  Second  Corps,  which  had  been  posted  on  Humphreys'  flank.  Forcing 
these  troops  from  their  slight  breastworks,  Wright's  Georgians  pushed  on 
steadily,  driving  back  the  scattered  forces  that  opposed  them,  until  they 

*  First  Maryland,  Potomac  Home  Brigade. 

t  Eighty-second  New  York  and  Fifteenth  Massachusetts. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  59 

reached  Brown's  Rhode  Island  Battery,  which  was  posted  in  front  of  the 
angle  in  the  stone  wall  on  Cemetery  Ridge.  Charging  gallantly  up  to  and 
through  the  flaming  guns  of  this  artillery,  some  of  these  troops  crossed  the 
stone  wall  and  reached  the  summit  of  Cemetery  Ridge  where,  as  General 
Wright  states  in  his  official  report,  they  could  look  down  on  the  farther  side 
of  the  slope.  But  this  part  of  the  Union  line  was  defended  by  the  infantry  of 
Hall's  and  Webb's  Brigades,  of  the  Second  Corps,  and  the  desperate  valor  of 
the  Confederates  availed  them  nothing.  Wright  made  this  advance  without 
support  on  either  flank.  Perry's  Brigade,  on  his  right,  had  been  checked  half 
way  across  the  field  by  the  rally  of  the  Excelsior  Brigade,  while  on  his  left 
Posey's  Brigade  failed  to  move  forward.  Wright  was  unable  to  withstand  the 
fierce  onslaught  of  Hall  and  Webb,  and  with  a  despairing  look  for  the  assistance 
which  was  nowhere  at  hand,  he  ordered  a  retreat.  It  was  another  one  of  the 
many  lost  opportunities  which  made  Confederate  success  impossible  at  Gettys 
burg.  Wright  captured  and  had  temporary  possession  of  eighteen  cannon,  but 
was  obliged  to  abandon  them.  Attacked  on  front  and  flank  and  in  danger  of 
being  surrounded,  the  Georgians  turned  their  faces  to  the  rear,  and  in  the  gloom 
of  the  twilight  cut  their  way  out,  and  fought  their  way  back  to  the  Emmitsburg 
Road.  So  closely  were  they  pressed  that  the  brigade  not  only  sustained  a 
severe  loss  in  falling  back,  but  a  large  number  of  the  men  and  several  officers 
were  taken  prisoners. 

In  this  affair  the  Fifty-ninth  New  York,  of  Hall's  Brigade,  took  an  active 
part,  capturing  the  flag  of  the  Forty-eighth  Georgia,  but  losing  its  com 
mander,  Lieut.  Col.  Max  A.  Thoman,  who  was  killed.  The  captured  flag 
was  taken  by  Sergt.  James  Wiley.  Prior  to  Gettysburg  this  regiment  had 
been  consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  four  companies,  and  it  carried  only  120 
men  into  this  action. 

On  the  left  of  the  Union  line,  Crawford's  Division, —  Pennsylvania  Reserves, 
Fifth  Corps, —  had  gone  into  position  on  the  northern  slope  of  Little  Round 
Top.  Just  before  dark,  McCandless'  Brigade,  of  this  division,  charged  down 
the  slope  with  cheers  that  were  heard  even  in  the  distant  streets  of  Gettys 
burg,  and  drove  the  Confederates  out  of  the  valley  of  Plum  Run  and  across 
into  the  woods  around  the  Devil's  Den  and  the  Wheatfield.  Fisher's  Brigade, 
of  the  Reserves,  moving  to  the  left,  ascended  Big  Round  Top  in  support  of 
the  Twentieth  Maine  and  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania,  which  had  already  seized 
this  point  and  driven  out  some  of  the  enemy's  skirmishers  that  occupied  it. 

The  Sixth  Corps  was  massed,  as  a  reserve,  in  rear  of  Crawford's  Division, 
Fifth  Corps.  When  McCandless'  Brigade,  of  the  latter  division,  made  its 
advance  at  dusk  it  was  supported  by  the  heavy  masses  of  the  Sixth  Corps  in 
its  immediate  rear.  Nevin's  Brigade,  of  Wheaton's  Division,  Sixth  Corps, 
formed  on  McCandless'  right,  where  it  became  actively  engaged  and  ren 
dered  efficient  service  at  the  close  of  the  fighting  on  that  ground.  This  brigade 
was  commanded  by  Col.  David  J.  Nevin,  of  the  Sixty-second  New  York,  a 
regiment  which  was  in  this  brigade  and  was  prominently  engaged  in  this 
action. 

The  Confederate  attack  had  failed.  The  divisions  of  Hood,  McLaws,  and 
Anderson,  with  their  powerful  artillery  support,  had  exhausted  themselves 
in  carrying  an  outer  position,  and  were  unable  to  make  any  farther  advance. 
The  line  of  the  Union  Army  was  still  intact.  The  Third  Corps,  by  interposing 


60  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

itself  in  a  strong  position,  had  resisted  an  attack  made  by  twice  its  numbers 
until  the  distant  corps  and  divisions  could  march  to  that  part  of  the  field.  But 
could  it,  alone  and  unassisted,  have  resisted  a  flank  attack  in  its  original  posi 
tion  ?  Longstreet  says  it  could  not.  Without  a  change  of  front  no  effective 
resistance  would  have  been  possible. 

The  statement  is  frequently  made  that  at  the  close  of  the  battle  on  the  second 
day  the  Union  line  on  the  left  was  established  as  Meade  desired  Sickles  should 
occupy  it  in  the  morning,  ignoring  the  fact  that  when  the  fighting  ended  that 
day  the  left  was  held  by  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps,  with  two  divisions  of  the  I7irst 
Corps  —  that  is,  by  eight  additional  divisions  as  compared  with  two  of  the 
Third  Corps  —  and  that  they  remained  there,  occupying  a  much  more  extended 
front. 

When  the  fighting  ended  on  the  second  day,  the  Union  line  included  the 
two  Round  Tops  and  the  Wheatfield,  and  ran  thence  through  the  woods  in  front 
of  the  J.  Weikert  House,  to  Cemetery  Ridge,  with  a  strong  picket  line  on  the 
Emmitsburg  Road.  All  of  the  Union  artillery  which  was  lost  during  this 
fighting  on  the  second  day  had  been  recaptured,  except  the  three  guns  of 
Smith's  Battery  at  the  Devil's  Den,  and  one  of  Thompson's  Battery  at  the 
Peach  Orchard.  Bigelow's,  Watson's,  Turnbull's,  and  Weir's  batteries  were 
retaken,  and  that  portion  of  the  field  between  the  Emmitsburg  Road  and 
Cemetery  Ridge  was  held  as  at  the  beginning  by  the  Union  troops.* 

The  Confederate  brigades  of  Anderson's  Division  —  Wilcox,s,  Perry's,  and 
Wright's  —  after  their  repulse  retired  to  their  original  positions  in  the  woods 
west  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  from  which  they  had  started  when  they  went 
into  action. 

Some  of  Longstreet's  troops  clung  to  their  lodgment  at  the  Devil's  Den,  and 
held  the  line  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road  at  the  Peach  Orchard.  But  Lee  would 
have  occupied  all  this  ground  without  resistance  if  the  Third  Corps  had  not 
seized  these  positions,  compelling  Longstreet  to  fight  for  hours  to  gain  these 
points. 

And  to  the  New  York  regiments  in  the  Third  Corps  belongs  a  full  share  of  the 
laurels  won  by  that  famous  command  on  this  bloody  field.  From  4  o'clock, 
when  the  attack  commenced  on  Ward's  Brigade,  until  nearly  8,  when  Hum 
phreys'  right  was  still  fighting  on  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  some  part  of  the  Third 
Corps,  with  New  York  regiments  present,  was  still  holding  its  line.  In  the 
prolonged,  desperate  resistance  made  by  Ward's  Brigade  on  the  left,  the  regi 
ments  and  batteries  from  the  Empire  State  fought  with  a  gallantry  that  was  a 
fitting  counterpart  to  the  historic  contest  waged  by  the  New  York  Brigade 
which,  on  Gulp's  Hill,  so  nobly  saved  the  right. 

General  Lee's  plan  of  battle  provided  for  a  general  attack  at  all  points  of 
the  line.  His  entire  army  was  to  engage  in  it,  except  Heth's  Division,  of  Hill's 
Corps, —  which  was  massed  in  reserve,  west  of  Wjlloughby  Run,  near  the 
ground  where  it  fought  on  the  previous  day, —  and  Pickett's  Division,  of  Long- 

"  The  brigade  was  rallied  and  moved  forward,  driving  the  enemy  and  capturing  many 
prisoners.  I  continued  to  advance  until  I  again  occupied  the  field  I  had  but  a  few 
moments  previous  vacated.  Here  my  command  remained  until  morning,  the  officers  and 
men  assisting  in  removing  from  the  field  as  many  of  the  wounded  as  the  time  and  facilities 
would  admit  of."  [From  the  official  report  of  General  Carr.  Official  Records,  Vol.  XXVII, 
Part  I,  p.  543.  See  also  reports  of  Generals  Anderson,  Wilcox,  and  Wright,  and  Colonel 
Lang.  Vol.  XXVII,  Part  II.] 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  61 

street's  Corps,  which  was  still  on  its  way  to  Gettysburg.  Commencing  on  the 
Confederate  right  the  various  brigades  of  Longstreet's  and  Hill's  corps  were 
to  have  moved  forward  to  the  attack  in  succession;  but  when  this  movement 
reached  Posey's  Brigade,  of  Anderson's  Division,  these  troops  made  only  a 
partial  advance,  while  the  next  brigade  —  Mahone's  —  made  no  movement 
whatever.  Fender's  entire  division,  which  was  next  in  line,  remained  in  place 
awaiting  the  order  to  advance,  during  which  General  Fender  was  mortally 
.vounded  by  a  fragment  of  a  shell.  The  failure  of  Posey  and  Mahone  to  ad 
vance,  together  with  the  inaction  of  Fender's  Division,  was  an  important  in 
cident  in  the  battle.  General  Lane,  who  succeeded  Fender,  states  that  in 
assuming  the  command,  he  received  orders  from  the  fallen  general  to  attack 
if  a  favorable  opportunity  presented.  As  Generals  Lee,  Hill,  and  Anderson 
were  on  that  part  of  the  field  it  may  be  assumed  that,  night  having  arrived  with 
out  any  definite  success  achieved,  they  declined  to  give  the  orders  for  a  pro 
longation  of  the  doubtful  conflict.  Still,  the  Confederate  line  along  the  front 
of  Fender's  Division  was  not  wholly  inactive,  for  this  interval  was  occupied 
by  the  artillery  battalions  of  Lane,  Pegram,  Garnett,  and  Aiclntosh,  with  fifty- 
three  cannon  in  position  and  engaged. 

The  shadows  of  evening  were  fast  hiding  the  field  from  sight  when  the  fight 
ing  on  the  left  ceased.  But  away  to  the  right  the  roar  of  artillery  and  crashing 
of  musketry  told  that  the  great  battle  of  the  second  day  was  not  yet  over. 

General  Ewell  who,  with  the  Confederate  Second  Corps,  held  the  left  of  Lee's 
army,  had  received  orders  trom  the  commanding  general  to  delay  his  attack 
until  he  heard  Longstreet's  guns  on  his  right.  These  orders  were  somewhat 
modified  by  subsequent  instructions  informing  Ewell  that  the  main  attack  was 
to  be  made  by  Longstreet's  (First)  Corps,  and  that  when  the  opening  guns  of 
that  fight  were  heard  he  should  make  a  diversion  in  Longstreet's  favor,  ''to  be 
converted  into  a  real  attack  if  an  opportunity  offered."  General  Ewell  accord 
ingly  placed  his  three  divisions  in  readiness  for  an  assault  on  the  Union  right  and 
centre.  He  assigned  to  Johnson's  Division,  hitherto  not  engaged,  the  task  of 
storming  Gulp's  Hill;  to  Early's  Division  the  assault  of  East  Cemetery  Hill;  and 
to  Rodes'  Division  a  co-operative  attack  on  the  west  slope  of  Cemetery  Hill, 
or  centre  of  the  Union  line. 

At  4  o'clock  General  Johnson,  hearing  Longstreet's  guns,  ordered  Major 
Latimcr  to  open  fire  with  his  battalion  of  artillery.  Latimer  had  posted  fourteen 
guns  on  Benner's  Hill,  together  with  six  twenty-pounder  Parrotts,  of  Graham's 
and  Raines'  batteries,  twenty  guns  in  all.  This  elevation  is  opposite  to  and 
northeast  of  Gulp's  Hill,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the  narrow  valley  of  Rock 
Creek.  Latimer's  fire  was  replied  to  effectively  by  the  Union  batteries  on 
Cemetery  Hill.  The  Confederate  artillery  was  silenced,  but  not  until  it  had 
sustained  a  severe  loss  in  men  and  material,  Latimer,  "  the  boy  major,"  falling 
mortally  wounded  at  the  close  of  the  affair.  On  the  Union  side,  Cooper's 
Pennsylvania  Battery  suffered  severely  from  its  exposed  position,  and  a  concen 
trated  fire  from  other  batteries  besides  its  opponents  on  Benner's  Hill. 
Reynolds'  and  Wiedrich's  New  York  batteries,  also,  took  a  prominent  and 
efficient  part  in  this  artillery  duel.  During  this  action  Taft's  Fifth  New  York 
Battery  was  stationed  in  the  Cemetery,  from  whence  four  of  its  six  guns  were 
turned  on  Benner's  Hill.  This  battery  was  equipped  with  twenty-pounder 


62  MEW   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Parrotts,  the  heaviest  guns  and  only  ones  of  that  pattern  in  Meade's  artillery  at 
Gettysburg. 

Some  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  artillery  took  an  active  and  effective  part  in  this 
affair  also.  A  section  from  each  of  Knap's  and  Muhlenberg's  Batteries  went 
into  position  on  Gulp's  Hill  during  the  contest.  Their  guns  were  posted  at  the 
angle  in  the  line  on  the  left  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  from  which  point  they 
enfiladed  the  line  of  Confederate  batteries  on  Benner's  Hill,  and  contributed 
materially  to  silencing  their  fire. 

The  sun  had  gone  down  when  Johnson  gave  the  order  for  his  infantry  to  move 
to  the  attack  of  Gulp's  Hill.  He  had  with  him  the  three  brigades  of  Jones, 
Nicholls,  and  Steuart.  His  remaining  brigade — Walker's  —  was  detained  on 
the  north  side  of  Rock  creek  by  the  threatening  presence  of  the  Union  cavalry, 
which  had  arrived  on  the  field  at  noon.  With  the  three  brigades  mentioned 
Johnson  moved  out  from  his  resting  place  behind  Benner's  Hill  and  the  Hanover 
Road,  and  at  dusk  crossed  Rock  Creek.  Driving  the  skirmishers  of  the  Twelfth 
Corps  through  the  forest,  his  troops  pressed  forward  eagerly  to  the  assault  of 
the  wooded  height  before  them. 

Within  the  breastworks  which  outlined  the  summit  of  Gulp's  Hill  there  was 
just  at  this  time  a  peculiar  state  of  affairs.  The  entire  Twelfth  Corps,  except 
one  brigade,  had  gone,  leaving  their  breastworks  empty  and  undefended, 
except  the  portion  held  by  this  one  brigade. 

When  General  Longstreet  opened  his  attack  on  the  Union  left,  General 
Meade  ordered  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps  thither,  together  with  two  divisions 
of  the  First  Corps.  In  addition  to  these  large  reinforcements  he  ordered  Gen 
eral  Slocum  to  take  the  Twelfth  Corps  also  to  the  left.  General  M.eade's 
extreme  solicitude  for  the  safety  of  his  right  flank,  as  evinced  by  his  orders  in 
the  morning,  contrasted  strongly  with  his  haste  to  strip  it  almost  entirely  of 
troops  in  the  evening,  especially  as  the  enemy  had  not  moved  a  regiment  from 
that  front  during  the  day.  Slocum  protested  so  vigorously  against  abandoning 
Gulp's  Hill  that  General  Meade  consented  that  one  brigade  of  Geary's  Division 
might  remain,  an  extremely  fortunate  concession.  This  movement  of  the 
Twelfth  Corps  to  the  left  was  a  grave  error,  as  will  appear  later;  especially, 
as  the  Sixth  Corps,  which  had  not  been  engaged,  was  already  on  the  ground, 
in  reserve,  and  was  available  for  the  same  purpose. 

General  Ruger's  Division,*  obedient  to  orders,  filed  out  of  its  works  about 
7  o'clock  and  marched  to  the  scene  of  the  fighting  on  the  left.  Geary,  with 
two  of  his  brigades,  followed,  but  mistaking  the  road  marched  in  the  direction 
of  Two  Taverns  instead  of  Round  Tops,  and  halted  just  beyond  Rock  Creek- 
Bridge.  These  troops  had  scarcely  vacated  their  works  on  Gulp's  Hill  when 
Johnson's  Division  moved  forward  to  the  attack. 

The  one  brigade  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  which  had  been  left  was  a  New  York 
brigade  commanded  by  Gen.  George  S.  Greene,  and  was  composed  of  the 
Sixtieth,  Seventy-eighth,  One  hundred  and  second,  One  hundred  and  thirty- 
seventh,  and  One  hundred  and  forty-ninth  New  York  Infantry.  Upon  them 
devolved  the  task  hitherto  assigned  to  a  corps.  The  left  of  their  line  connected 
with  Cutler's  Brigade,  of  Wadsworth's  Division,  First  Corps,  which  held  the 
intrenchments  on  the  western  slope  of  the  hill.  On  Greene's  right  were  the 
empty  breastworks  which  had  been  vacated  by  the  Twelfth  Corps.  Greene  had 

*  Williams'  Division.  General  Williams  was  in  command  of  the  Twelfth  Corps, 
General  Slocum  being  in  command  of  the  right  wing. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  63 

received  orders  to  reoccupy  these  entire  works  with  his  brigade,  by  thinning  and 
lengthening  his  line.  The  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh  New  York, 
Col.  David  Ireland,  moved  accordingly  into  the  adjoining  works,  which  had 
been  vacated  by  Kane's  Brigade  of  Geary's  Division,  and  formed  in  single  line, 
"  one  man  deep; "  but  before  any  further  movement  could  be  made,  Johnson's 
attack  commenced  along  the  entire  front. 

From  behind  their  works  Greene's  men  delivered  a  deadly  fire  that  forced 
their  assailants  to  seek  safety  in  the  woods  at  the  base  of  the  hill.  The  Con 
federates  made  repeated  efforts  to  carry  the  works,  but  without  success.  Night 
fall  added  to  the  gloom  of  the  thick  forest  that  covered  the  hill  from  its  base  to 
the  breastworks  on  its  summit,  in  which  the  blazing  lines  of  musketry  marked 
the  position  of  the  combatants. 

Jones'  Virginia  Brigade,  on  the  right  of  Johnson's  line,  suffered  some,  also, 
from  an  oblique  fire  which  was  delivered  by  a  regiment  of  Cutler's  Brigade  from 
its  position  on  Greene's  left. 

The  left  of  Johnson's  line  was  held  by  Steuart's  Brigade,  which,  overlapping 
Greene's  right,  entered  the  empty  breastworks  of  Ruger's  Division  and  occupied 
them  without  opposition.  From  this  vantage  ground  Steuart  delivered  a  flank 
fire  that,  combined  with  his  attack  in  front,  forced  the  One  hundred  and  thirty- 
seventh  New  York  to  vacate  the  intrenchments  of  Kane's  Brigade.  But  this 
regiment  withdrew  its  right  to  the  rear,  and,  in  the  darkness,  formed  a  line 
perpendicular  to  the  breastworks  which  it  had  been  occupying. 

When  Johnson's  attack  commenced,  Greene  sent  for  reinforcements.  In  re 
sponse  to  his  call  for  aid  three  regiments  from  Cutler's  Brigade,  numbering  in 
all  about  350  men,  and  four  from  von  Amsberg's  Brigade  (Eleventh  Corps), 
about  475  men,  reported  and  rendered  good  service  in  assisting  his  command. 
Among  these  regiments  that  came  to  Greene's  support  were  the  Fourteenth 
Brooklyn  and  One  hundred  and  forty-seventh  New  York,  of  which  but  a  mere 
remnant  remained  from  their  desperate  fighting  on  the  first  day;  also,  the 
Forty-fifth  and  One  hundred  and  fifty-seventh  New  York,  which  marched  for 
half  a  mile  through  the  complete  darkness  of  the  woods  guided  by  the  sound  of 
the  musketry.  Neither  side  could  use  artillery  in  this  contest. 

The  sturdy  defence  of  Gulp's  Hill  by  Greene's  New  York  Brigade,  after  the 
rest  of  the  corps  had  gone,  forms  one  of  the  most  remarkable  achievements  of 
the  day.  The  Sixtieth  New  York,  Col.  Abel  Godard,  captured  two  stands  of 
colors;  and  some  of  the  men,  leaping  the  breastworks,  took  several  of  the  enemy 
prisoners  with  their  flags.  Colonel  Lane  of  the  One  hundred  and  second  was 
wounded,  after  which  the  command  devolved  on  Capt.  Lewis  R.  Stegman. 
The  heaviest  loss  fell  on  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh,  which,  owing  to 
its  exposed  flank,  suffered  severely,  losing  137  of  its  number,  including  four 
officers  who  were  killed.  The  flag  of  the  One  hundred  and  forty-ninth  received 
eighty-one  bullets  through  its  folds,  and  seven  in  its  staff,  the  color  sergeant 
splicing  it  and  replacing  it  on  the  works  as  fast  as  it  fell.  A  Confederate  soldier 
who  attempted  to  seize  it  fell  riddled  with  bullets.  The  Seventy-eighth,  under 
Lieutenant  Colonel  von  Hammerstein,  was  deployed  on  the  skirmish  line  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill,  where  its  sturdy  resistance  to  Johnson's  advance  gave  General 
Greene  time  to  prepare  for  the  impending  assault.  The  five  regiments  of  the 
brigade  numbered  only  1,350,  total  strength. 


64  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

It  was  after  midnight  when  Johnson's  troops,  wearied  with  their  repeated 
assaults  in  the  darkness,  abandoned  their  task  until  daylight.  When  the  fight 
ing  ceased  Greene  still  held  his  original  line,  while  on  his  right  the  Confederates 
were  in  possession  of  the  intrenchments  thrown  up  by  Kane's  Brigade  and, 
farther  on,  the  works  of  Ruger's  Division.  There  was  nothing  to  prevent 
Steuart's  Confederate  Brigade  marching  straight  ahead  through  the  woods  to 
the  Baltimore  Pike,  about  400  yards  distant,  where  it  would  have  been  in  the 
rear  of  the  Union  Army,  in  possession  of  its  supply  trains  and  reserve  artillery, 
and  on  its  proper  line  of  retreat. 

While  this  fighting  was  in  progress  at  Gulp's  Hill,  a  desperate  conflict  was 
occurring  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Cemetery  Hill.  Early's  Division,  of  Ewell's 
Corps,  had  been  in  position  all  day  on  the  east  side  of  the  town,  on  the  left  of  the 
main  street  and  near  the  foot  of  the  hill.  It  comprised  the  two  brigades  of  Hays 
and  Hoke.  Gordon's  Brigade,  which  during  the  day  had  been  posted  on  the 
York  Road,  moved  into  town  and  took  a  position  in  support.  Early's  remain 
ing  brigade — Smith's — was  held  on  the  York  Road,  under  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart, 
to  protect  that  flank  against  the  threatened  advance  of  the  Union  cavalry. 

General  Ewell  directed  Rodes  to  form  his  division  on  the  south  side  of  the 
town,  facing  the  west  front  of  Cemetery  Hill,  and  instructed  him  to  co-operate 
with  Early  in  the  assault  as  soon  as  an  opportunity  to  do  so  with  good  effect  was 
offered. 

It  was  just  before  dusk  when  the  sound  of  Johnson's  musketry  announced 
that  the  attack  on  Gulp's  Hill  had  commenced.  Early  then  gave  the  order  for 
his  two  brigades  to  advance.'  Hays'  Brigade  was  composed  of  five  Louisiana 
regiments  which  wore  a  semi-zouave  uniform  and  flourished  under  the  appalling 
synonym  of  the  Louisiana  Tigers.  Hoke's  Brigade,  composed  of  North 
Carolinians,  had  only  three  of  its  regiments  at  Gettysburg.  It  was  commanded 
by  Col.  I.  E.  Avery,  General  Hoke  having  been  wounded  at  Chancellorsville. 

The  official  reports  indicate  that  it  was  about  8  o'clock  when  these  two 
brigades  advanced.  They  had  but  a  short  distance  to  go  —  about  500  yards  — 
to  reach  the  Union  intrenchments  at  the  base  of  East  Cemetery  Hill.  Their 
line  of  advance  took  them  up  the  valley  between  Cemetery  Hill  and  Gulp's  Hill. 
Both  brigades  were  deployed  in  one  long  line  of  regimental  fronts,  and  as  soon 
as  they  moved  forward  the  Union  batteries  opened  on  them.  The  artillery  fire 
did  not  check  them,  and  they  soon  reached  the  base  of  the  hill,  the  opposing 
skirmishers  retreating  rapidly  before  them. 

A  line  of  stone  walls  and  fences  that  ran  around  the  base  of  the  hill  was 
occupied  by  Ames'  Division  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  which  delivered  a  musketry 
fire  at  short  range  as  soon  as  Early's  line  came  in  sight.  The  Confederates  dis 
lodged  most  of  these  troops,  and  rushing  over  their  works  scaled  the  summit 
of  East  Cemetery  Hill.  As  they  swept  rapidly  up  the  slope  with  loud  yells  of 
triumph,  the  batteries  on  the  crest  of  the  hill  opened  on  them  with  canister; 
but,  owing  to  the  darkness  and  smoke,  or  inability  to  depress  the  guns  suffi 
ciently,  the  assaulting  column  suffered  but  little  from  this  fire.  The  left  flank 
of  Hoke's  Brigade  was  exposed  for  a  short  time  to  a  severe  canister  fire  from 
Stevens'  (Fifth  Maine)  Battery,  which  was  posted  on  the  west  slope  of  Gulp's 
Hill,  at  the  head  of  the  valley  up  which  the  Confederates  advanced.  Still,  the 
right  of  the  assaulting  column,  protected  by  the  contour  of  the  hill,  pushed 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  65 

rapidly  on  and  arriving  at  the  first,  or  lower,  line  of  batteries,  rushed  in  among 
Wiedrich's  and  Ricketts'  guns. 

Colonel  Wainwright,  chief  or  artillery,  First  Corps,  had  instructed  his  bat 
tery  officers  that  in  case  of  an  assault  they  must  not  stop  to  limber  up,  but  must 
serve  their  pieces  to  the  last  moment.  As  the  yelling  Confederates  rushed  into 
these  batteries  the  cannoneers,  assisted  by  the  drivers,  defended  their  guns  in 
a  desperate  hand-to-hand  conflict,  in  which  rammers,  handspikes,  and  every 
weapon  at  hand  were  used.  The  attack  was  so  sudden  and  the  view  so  much 
obscured  by  darkness  and  smoke,  that  for  awhile  the  batterymen  fought  among 
their  guns  with  but  little  assistance  from  the  infantry. 

From  out  the  darkness  could  be  heard  the  fitful  shots  of  pistols  and  rifles 
mingled  with  the  desperate  cries  and  curses  of  the  combatants.  A  Confederate 
lieutenant  seized  the  guidon  of  Ricketts'  Battery,  but  the  color  bearer  drawing 
his  revolver  shot  the  lieutenant  dead  and  then  fell  lifeless  beside  him.  A  line 
officer  of  the  Tigers, laying  his  hand  on  a  cannon,  demanded  its  surrender,  when 
one  of  the  gunners  in  reply  crushed  his  skull  with  a  blow  from  a  handspike.  One 
of  Ricketts'  lieutenants  saved  the  life  of  a  sergeant  by  felling  his  assailant  to  the 
ground  with  a  stone  which  he  picked  up,  without  waiting  to  draw  his  sabre. 
A  regimental  commandant  in  Hoke's  BrigacTe  states  in  his  official  report  that 
the  fight  was  made  with  "  bayonet,  clubbed  musket,  sword,  and  pistol,  and  rocks 
from  the  wall ;  "  and  that  among  the  cannon  the  dead  were  lying  "  most  all  with 
bayonet  wounds,  and  many  with  skulls  broken  with  the  breeches  of  our  guns." 

Wiedrich's  Battery,  on  Ricketts'  left,  was  reached  by  the  enemy  first.  As 
one  of  the  Tigers  planted  his  regimental  colors  on  a  lunette  at  the  first  section 
he  was  knocked  down  with  a  handspike  and  his  flag  captured.  For  a  while 
this  battery  was  in  possession  of  Hays'  Brigade.  There  was  close  fighting  also 
by  the  infantry  on  the  extreme  left  of  Ames'  line,  at  the  point  held  by  the 
One  hundred  and  seventh  Ohio,  where  with  sabres  and  revolvers  regimental 
colors  were  captured  and  recaptured  on  both  sides. 

But  this  state  of  affairs  could  not  last  long.  In  the  rear  of  the  batteries  lay 
the  infantry  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  with  three  divisions  of  the  First  and  Second 
Corps  near  at  hand.  Early's  two  brigades  on  reaching  their  goal  found  them 
selves  alone  and  unsupported.  The  troops  that,  moving  with  them,  were  to 
have  scaled  the  western  slope  and  joined  them  on  the  crest  of  Cemetery  Hill 
were  nowhere  to  be  seen  or  found.  The  heavy  tread  of  approaching  regiments 
could  be  heard  in  the  darkness,  and  General  Hays,  thinking  that  the  converg 
ing  column  of  Confederates  was  about  to  join  him,  ordered  his  brigade  to  with 
hold  their  fire.  But  the  approaching  troops  were  enemies,  not  friends. 

From  all  sides  the  infantry  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  rushed  impetuously  to  the 
assistance  of  the  artillery.  Coster's  Brigade,  of  Steinwehr's  Division,  regained 
possession  of  Wiedrich's  guns.  The  Fifty-eighth  and  One  hundred  and  nine 
teenth  New  York,  of  Schurz's  Division,  accompanied  by  General  Schurz  per 
sonally,  left  their  place  in  the  Cemetery  and  hastened  to  Wiedrich's  relief.  In 
the  meantime,  General  Hancock  had  been  listening  attentively  to  the  sound  of 
the  "  heavy  engagement  on  General  Howard's  front ;  "  and  noticing  that  the 
Sring  was  coming  "  nearer  and  nearer,"*  directed  Carroll's  Brigade  to  hasten 
to  that  point  and  report  to  General  Howard  at  once.  Carroll's  Brigade  was  in 

*General  Hancock's  report 


66  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

position  in  front  of  the  Taneytown  Road,  less  than  half  a  mile  from  the  Balti 
more  Pike  where  the  fight  was  going  on.  Taking  three  regiments  of  his 
brigade  —  the  Fourth  Ohio,  Seventh  West  Virginia,  and  Fourteenth  Indiana  — 
Carroll  moved  through  the  Cemetery  and  advancing  on  Hays'  Louisiana  Brig 
ade  with  fixed  bayonets  drove  it  out  of  the  batteries,  down  the  hill,  and  over  the 
stone  wall.  Hoke's  North  Carolina  Brigade,  which  had  suffered  severely  from 
the  artillery  fire  of  Reynolds'  (New  York)  Battery,  fell  back  also.  Colonel 
Avery,  of  the  Sixth  North  Carolina,  who  commanded  this  brigade,  was  mortally 
wounded.  While  dying  he  wrote  on  a  blood  stained  slip  of  paper  a  request  that 
someone  would  tell  his  father  that  he  died  with  his  face  to  the  enemy. 

The  Confederates  halted  near  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  exchanged  a  few  volleys 
with  Carroll's  men,  after  which  they  withdrew  under  cover  of  the  darkness. 
The  eight  regiments  of  Hays'  and  Hoke's  brigades  carried  about  2,400  officers 
and  men  into  the  assault.  They  sustained  a  loss  of  39  killed,  246  wounded,  and 
149  missing;  total,  434.*  Most  of  the  missing  were  either  killed  or  wounded. 
General  Hays  states  in  his  official  report  that  on  arriving  at  the  summit,  in  addi 
tion  to  the  temporary  possession  of  several  cannon,  his  men  captured  four  stands 
of  colors.  But  the  Confederates  lost  some  flags  also.  The  attack  commenced 
at  8  p.  in.;  the  firing  ceased  at  10:20  p.  m. 

During  this  assault  by  Early's  two  brigades,  his  remaining  brigade  — 
Gordon's  —  was  deployed  within  rifle  shot  of  Cemetery  Hill.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  hill,  in  the  fields  near  its  base,  Rodes'  Division  was  also  in  line, 
under  orders  to  co-operate  with  Early  and  Johnson.  But  neither  Gordon  or 
Rodes  gave  the  order  to  advance.  Gordon's  instructions  did  not  require  him  to 
move  forward  with  Hays  and  Avery,  as  he  was  to  support  them;  and  when 
it  became  evident  that  Rodes'  Division  would  not  move  Early  "  halted  "  Gordon, 
because  any  further  attempt  would  only  add  to  the  useless  sacrifice  of  life. 

General  Rodes'  delay  seems  harder  to  understand;  for,  as  he  states,  he  first 
"  sought  General  Early,  with  a  view  of  making  an  attack  in  concert  with  him."f 
Rodes  then  informed  General  Lane  —  commanding  Fender's  Division  —  of  the 
plan,  and  that  lie,  Rodes,  would  attack  "  just  at  dark."  General  Lane  sent  for 
ward  two  brigades  accordingly  to  protect  the  flank  of  Rodes'  Division.  Rocles 
states  that  he  had  to  move  his  troops  out  of  the  town  by  the  flank,  change 
direction  of  the  line  of  battle,  and  then  traverse  a  distance  of  1,200  yards,  while 

*  Mr.  S.  P.  Bates,  in  his  "  Battle  of  Gettysburg,"  says  of  the  Louisiana  Brigade: 
"  They  came  forward  1,700  strong,  maddened  with  liquor,  and  confident  of  crushing  in 
our  line,  and  holding  this  commanding  position.  They  went  back  barely  600,  and  the 
Tigers  were  never  afterwards  known  as  an  organization." 

This  statement  has  been  so  widely  quoted,  that  it  may  be  well  to  note  here  that  the 
losses  in  Hays'  Louisiana  Brigade  were  26  killed,  153  wounded,  and  55  missing;  total,  234. 
Its  "  organization  "  was  not  destroyed;  this  brigade,  under  its  old  designation,  fought  in 
every  succeeding  battle,  and  was  included  in  the  roster  of  Lee's  army  at  Appomattox. 

There  should  be  no  question  as  to  the  figures  for  its  losses  at  Gettysburg.  Its  casualties 
are  given,  in  General  Early's  official  report,  for  each  day  separately,  and  for  each  regi 
ment  by  itself,  with  an  evident  attention  to  detail  that  implies  accuracy.  The  intimation 
that  the  gallantry  of  the  Confederates  was  due  to  whiskey  is  as  absurd  as  the  gross 
exaggeration  of  the  casualties. 

t  Rodes'  report. 


JNEW   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  67 

Early  had  to  move  only  half  that  distance  without  change  of  front;  and  that,  as 
a  result,  before  he  could  drive  in  the  opposing  skirmish  line  Early  had  attacked 
and  withdrawn. 

The  tactical  movements  at  Gettysburg  will  always  furnish  a  fruitful  theme  for 
speculation.  Possibilities  and  probabilities  will  suggest  themselves.  The  ques 
tion  will  always  arise, —  what  if  the  converging  columns  of  Rodes  and  Early  had 
met  at  the  Baltimore  Pike  on  Cemetery  Hill  when  at  the  same  time  Johnson, 
close  at  hand,  was  filing  into  the  vacant  breastworks  of  the  Twelfth  Corps? 
But,  too  much  stress  cannot  well  be  laid  upon  this  matter  of  a  lost  opportunity 
without  doing  injustice  to  the  men  who  so  gallantly  and  successfully  defended 
Cemetery  Hill  at  this  critical  juncture. 

Soon  after  the  battle  on  the  left  had  ceased  the  Twelfth  Corps  was  ordered  to 
return  to  its  position  on  Gulp's  Hill.  It  was  past  midnight  when  the  tired  and 
wearied  troops  had  all  returned.  Ruger's  Division  arrived  first.  With 
creditable  caution  General  Ruger  ordered  skirmishers  thrown  forward  to  ascer 
tain  whether  the  enemy  held  any  part  of  the  breastworks.  The  presence  of  the 
Confederates  in  the  works  was  soon  discovered.  At  Spangler's  Spring  some  of 
Ruger's  men,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  filled  their  canteens  in  company  with 
the  Confederates  who  thronged  that  spot  for  water  and  answered  unsuspectingly 
the  customary  questions  as  to  their  respective  regiments.  The  works  on  the 
extreme  right  of  the  line,  which  were  separated  from  the  southeast  base  of  Gulp's 
Hill  by  an  open  swale,  were  unoccupied  by  the  enemy,  and  so  a  part  of  Ruger's 
troops  resumed  possession  of  that  part  of  the  line. 

Geary's  two  brigades  —  Kane's  and  Candy's  —  returned,  also,  soon  after 
Ruger's  arrival.  On  entering  the  woods  Kane's  advance  encountered  a  brisk 
fire  which  was,  at  first,  supposed  to  come  from  Greene's  command.  Without 
returning  the  fire  Geary  formed  his  line  in  silence  and  secrecy  at  right  angles  to 
Greene's  and  extending  from  Greene's  right  to  the  Baltimore  Pike.  Kane's 
Brigade  connected  with  Greene  and  relieved  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh 
New  York  which  had  been  holding  the  refused  part  of  the  line.  Ruger  formed 
his  three  brigades  in  two  lines,  in  the  open  fields  between  the  Baltimore  Pike 
and  his  breastworks.  By  midnight  safety  was  restored,  and  Johnson's  oppor 
tunity  to  seize  the  Baltimore  Pike  was  gone.  General  Williams  placed  twenty- 
six  cannon  in  position  behind  his  infantry,  within  600  to  800  yards  of  the  woods 
which  Johnson's  troops  were  occupying,  and  then  gave  orders  to  attack  at  day 
break. 

During  the  day  three  brigades  of  Stuart's  Cavalry  rejoined  Lee's  Army. 
They  had  been  absent  on  a  raid,  and  General  Lee  had  been  without  their  ser 
vices  during  all  the  time  that  he  was  north  of  the  Potomac.  Stuart  arrived  at 
Carlisle,  Pa.,  with  his  troops,  only  to  find  that  Ewell  had  gone  to  Gettysburg. 
Pushing  on  to  the  latter  place  his  advance  brigade,  under  General  Hampton, 
reached  the  battlefield  on  the  second  day  and  took  position  on  the  Confeder 
ate  left,  near  Hunterstown,  about  four  miles  northeast  of  Gettysburg.  At 
evening  Hampton  had  a  spirited  engagement  here  with  Custer's  Michigan 
Brigade,  of  Kilpatrick's  cavalry.  The  affair  was  of  short  duration,  with  com 
paratively  few  casualties,  after  which  Kilpatrick's  Division  resumed  its  march 
to  Two  Taverns. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  second  day  and  before  the  night  fighting  had 


68 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG 


entirely  ceased,  General  Meade  summoned  his  corps  commanders  to  attend  a 
councif  of  war  at  his  headquarters  on  the  Taneytown  Road.    1  he  written  ques- 
ion  was  then  submitted  whether  the  army  should  remain    n  ^s  position  a 
Gettysburg,  or  retire  to  some  line  nearer  its  base  of  supplies.     The  co 
decided  unanimously  to  hold  the  position  and,  as  expressed  by  General  Slocum 
to  "  Stay  and  fight  it  out."    The  question  whether  the  army  should  act  on  t 
offensive  or  defensive  was  also  submitted;  and  the  verdict  was  to  await  the 
attack  of  the  enemy.    The  result  of  the  day's  fighting  was  satisfactory. 
Army  of  the  Potomac  had  been  "  hammered  into  a  good  position. 

In  the  opposite  camp  the  Confederate  commander  was  making  plans  and 
issuing  orders  for  the  morrow.  While  he  had  not  won  a  victory  on  the  second 
day  he  deemed  that  some  important  advantages  had  been  gained.  On  his  left 
he  was  in  possession  of  a  part  of  the  works  on  Gulp's  Hill.  On  his  right  he 
held  the  Peach  Orchard,  which,  in  connection  with  Seminary  Ridge,  would  give 
his  artillery  desirable  and  commanding  positions.  He  had  effected  a  lodgment 
at  the  Devil's  Den,  in  close  proximity  to  the  main  line  of  his  opponent.  His 
advance  had  at  one  time  pierced  the  enemy's  centre  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  while 
two  unsupported  brigades  had  with  little  difficulty  overrun  Cemetery  Hill  itself. 
He,  too,  would  stay  and  fight  it  out,  and  before  laying  himself  down  for  the 
short  sleep  of  the  chieftain  he  gave  his  orders  accordingly. 


THE  THIRD  DAY. 
FRIDAY,  JULY  3,  1863. 

Promptly  at  'daybreak,!  before  the  gray  light  of  early  morning  had  fairly 
displaced  the  shadows  of  the  night,  the  artillery  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  opened 
fire  on  Johnson's  troops,  and  the  sleeping  soldiers  of  both  armies  sprang  to 
their  arms.  Johnson's  men  were  already  in  line  and  about  to  attack  when 
Slocum's  artillery  anticipated  their  movement.  For  fifteen  minutes  the  Union 
batteries  sent  their  projectiles  crashing  through  the  woods  and  bursting  in  the 
enemy's  line.  Johnson  had  no  artillery  with  which  to  make  reply.  He  was 
unable  to  bring  any  with  him  owing  to  the  hills,  valleys,  woods,  rocks  and 
streams  over  which  he  passed.  But  the  artillery  fire  was  only  a  preliminary  to 
the  infantry  attack  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  which  immediately  followed.  Johnson 
opened  fire  and  advanced  at  the  same  time,  both  sides  assuming  the  offensive 
simultaneously. 

During  the  night  Johnson's  remaining  brigade — Walker's  —  left  the  picket 
line  on  the  Hanover  Road  and  rejoined  its  division.  This  brigade,  composed 
of  Virginians,  had  been  officially  designated  as  the  Stonewall  Brigade  in  honor 
of  "  Stonewall  "  Jackson,  its  original  commander.  Johnson  now  had  his  entire 
division  in  hand.  He  was  further  reinforced,  early  in  the  morning,  by  Daniel's 
and  O'Neal's  brigades  of  Rodes'  Division,  and  Smith's  Brigade  of  Early's 
Division.  The  Stonewall  Brigade  was  placed  on  the  left  in  support  of  Steuart 
Smith's  Brigade  formed  on  the  left,  also,  in  protection  of  that  flank,  at  right 
angles  to  the  main  line,  and  facing  the  narrow  swale  or  meadow  which  separated 

*Maj.-Gen.  John  Newton;  North  American  Review. 

f  General  Geary  says  that  the  artillery  opened  at  3:30  a.  m. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  69 

it  from  the  Union  troops  of  Colgrove's  Brigade.  Daniel  and  O'Neal  were 
placed  further  to  the  right  in  support  of  Jones  and  Nicholls.  The  front  line 
consisted  of  three  deployed  brigades. 

Johnson  now  had  seven  brigades,  two  of  which  —  Walker's  and  Smith's  — 
had  not  been  engaged  hitherto.  Opposed  to  him  were  the  six  brigades  of  tlip 
Twelfth  Corps,  and  Shaler's  Brigade,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  which  reinforced 
Geary  at  8:45  a-  m-  Also,  the  seven  small  regiments  from  the  First  and 
Eleventh  Corps,  which  remained  during  the  night  and  rendered  efficient  aid  in 
the  morning.  They  were  relieved  by  Lockwood's  Brigade  of  Ruger's  Division, 
upon  which  they  returned  to  their  respective  commands.  Johnson's  combined 
forces  numbered  about  9,600;  those  opposed  to  him  about  11,200,  all  told. 

This  infantry  attack  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  to  regain  possession  of  its  in- 
trenchments  commenced  at  daylight,  soon  after  the  artillery  opened,  and  was 
made  by  the  three  brigades  of  Geary's  Division,  supported  by  a  strong  demon 
stration  on  the  part  of  Ruger's  artillery  and  infantry.  One  of  Geary's  brigades 
—  Greene's  —  as  has  been  shown,  had  not  lost  possession  of  its  works,  and 
joined  in  the  fierce  musketry  fire  that  ensued.  Johnson  made  a  counter 
attack  at  the  same  time,  with  the  intention  of  driving  his  assailants  back  and 
gaining  possession  of  the  Baltimore  Pike.  The  firing  was  close  and  deadly, 
while  the  echoing  of  the  woods  increased  the  appalling  roar. 

At  7  a.  m.,  Lockwood's  Brigade,  of  Ruger's  Division,  was  sent  to  Geary's 
support.  The  One  hundred  and  fiftieth  New  York  of  this  brigade  fired  150 
rounds  per  man,  the  large  number  of  dead  in  their  front  attesting  the  accuracy 
of  their  fire.  Johnson's  troops,  unable  to  gain  ground,  redoubled  their  efforts, 
upon  which,  in  answer  to  Geary's  call  for  aid,  Shaler's  Brigade,  of  the  Sixth 
Corps,  came  to  his  assistance.  Shaler  formed  in  column  by  regiments  with  the 
One  hundred  and  twenty-second  New  York,  Col.  Silas  Titus,  at  the  head. 
This  regiment  relieved  one  of  Kane's,  and  immediately  became  engaged.  Two 
other  New  York  regiments  of  Shaler's  Brigade — the  Sixty-fifth  and  Sixty- 
seventh  —  rendered  valuable  support  during  the  action. 

At  the  same  tim,e,  Ruger's  Division,  on  the  right  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  was 
pressing  Johnson's  troops  actively  and  preventing  them  from  turning  Geary's 
right.  Ruger's  artillery,  firing  over  the  heads  of  his  own  men,  forced  the 
enemy  to  keep  well  within  the  cover  of  the  stolen  intrenchments,  while  every 
attempt  to  advance  was  checked  by  the  effective  musketry  of  some  regiments 
of  McDougall's  Brigade.  There  were  two  New  York  regiments  in  the  latter 
command  —  the  One  hundred  and  twenty-third,  Lieut.  Col.  James  C.  Rogers, 
and  the  One  hundred  and  forty-fifth,  Col.  E.  L.  Price,  both  of  which  partici 
pated  in  the  fight  for  the  recovery  of  their  works.  In  the  former,  Capt.  Nor 
man  Fox  Weer  fell  mortally  wounded  by  a  bullet  from  a  sharpshooter. 

Colgrove's  Brigade,  of  Ruger's  Division,  held  the  extreme  right  of  the  Union 
line,  occupying  the  works,  beyond  the  swale,  which  Johnson's  troops,  in  the 
darkness  of  the  previous  night,  failed  to  occupy.  The  One  hundred  and  seventh 
New  York,  Col.  N.  M.  Crane,  was  placed  by  General  Ruger  at  the  head  of  the 
swale  where  its  fire  would  prevent  Johnson  from  extending  his  flank  in  that 
direction,  while  Colgrove's  other  regiments  formed  a  line  on  the  south  side  of 
this  narrow  valley  and  opposite  Johnson's  left  flank.  During  the  course  of  the 
fighting  Colgrove  made  an  attempt  with  two  regiments  to  effect  a  lodgment  on 


70  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

the  opposite  side  of  the  valley,  and  ordered  the  Second  Massachusetts  and 
Twenty-seventh  Indiana  to  advance  for  that  purpose.  These  two  veteran  regi 
ments  moved  forward  on  a  double-quick  in  face  of  a  terrible  musketry.  The 
Second  Massachusetts  secured  a  position  in  the  opposite  woods  where  for  awhile 
it  delivered  an  effective  fire;  but  the  Twenty-seventh  Indiana,  advancing  ob 
liquely  across  the  swale  in  accordance  with  orders,  encountered  a  strong  force, 
posted  in  the  captured  breastworks,  which  hitherto  had  remained  concealed  in 
the  woods.  The  Twenty-seventh  was  obliged  to  fall  back.  Both  regiments 
suffered  severely  while  crossing,  and  Colgrove  recalled  the  Second  Massa 
chusetts  also.  The  Confederates  attempted  to  follow,  but  met  such  a  hot  fire 
from  the  remainder  of  the  brigade  that  they  fell  back  to  cover. 

These  two  regiments  together  carried  659  officers  and  men  into  this  action,  of 
whom  246  were  killed  or  wounded  within  a  few  minutes.  They  encountered 
troops  belonging  to  Walker's  and  Smith's  Virginia  brigades,  the  Forty-ninth 
Virginia  losing  two-fifths  of  its  numbers  in  the  affair.  Before  making  the  charge 
it  was  apparent  to  every  officer  and  man  in  the  two  Union  regiments  that  some 
one  had  blundered,  and  that  there  was  some  error  or  misunderstanding  in  the 
transmission  of  the  order.  Still,  both  regiments  moved  forward  with  cheers  as 
promptly  as  if  they  were  certain  of  success.  When  Colonel  Mudge,  of  the 
Second  Massachusetts,  received  the  word  he  remarked  to  some  of  his  officers, 
"  It  is  murder;  but  it  is  the  order."  He  fell  dead  before  he  had  gone  ten 
rods.  The  Second  lost  five  color  bearers  in  the  charge. 

During  the  morning  Colgrove's  regiments  were  annoyed  by  some  Con 
federate  sharpshooters  who  occupied  the  Taney  house,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
Rock  Creek.  Battery  M,  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  which  was  in  action 
near  the  Baltimore  Pike,  trained  one  of  its  rifled  guns  on  the  house.  With  a 
few  well-aimed  /percussion  shells  it  soon  made  the  building  untenable,  killing 
and  wounding  some  of  the  videttes  who  occupied  it. 

About  10  o'clock  Johnson  made  a  strong,  determined  attack,  led  by  Steuart's 
Brigade.  It  was  repiilsed,  mainly  by  Kane's  Brigade,  under  Col.  George  A. 
Cobham,  a  small  command  numbering  about  690,  all  told,  but  advantageously 
placed.  The  Stonewall  Brigade  recoiled  also  from  the  sheets  of  deadly  flame 
that  blazed  from  Greene's  breastworks,  many  of  the  men  displaying  signals  of 
surrender  and  crawling  into  the  works  to  escape  the  terrible,  pitiless  fire.  The 
Sixtieth  New  York  captured  two  flags  from  this  brigade.  Greene's  intrench- 
ments  at  this  time  were  occupied  by  Candy's  (Union)  Brigade,  and  in  front  of 
the  Seventh  Ohio,  seventy-eight  of  the  enemy,  including  seven  officers,  ad 
vanced  and  surrendered.  Maj.  B.  W.  Leigh,  General  Johnson's  chief  of  staff 
and  adjutant  general,  endeavored  gallantly  to  stop  this  surrender  and  to  rally  his 
men,  but  he.  fell  dead  a  short  distance  in  front  of  the  rifles  of  the  Seventh  Ohio. 

The  men  of  Geary's  Division,  who,  during  all  these  hours,  had  been  bravely 
fighting  and  watching  for  the  proper  opportunity,  noted  eagerly  the  failure  of 
this  last  assault,  and  springing  forward  with  loud  cheers  followed  up  their  ad 
vantage.  The  whole  line  pushed  ahead  and  drove  the  Confederates  out  of  the 
lost  works.  The  "  red  stars  "*  of  Ruger's  Division  swept  forward  at  the  same 
time,  and  McDougall's  Brigade  recovered  the  line  of  intrenchments  in  its  front 

*  The  badge  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  was  a  flannel  star  worn  on  the  men's  caps  —  red 
for  the  First  Division  and  white  for  the  Second. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  71 

which  its  men  had  labored  so  industriously  to  build,  but  which  had  sheltered  the 
enemy  instead  of  themselves.  At  1 1  a.  m.,  the  Twelfth  Corps  was  in  full  posses 
sion  of  its  original  line.  Johnson's  troops  withdrew  to  Rock  Creek,  leaving  a 
strong  picket  line  in  their  front. 

It  was  a  remarkable  fight.  For  seven  hours  the  unremitting  roar  of  the 
rifles  continued  along  the  front  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  varied  at  times  by  heavier 
crashes  where  some  fresh  regiment  relieving  another  opened  with  a  full  volley. 
As  fast  as  regiments  expended  their  ammunition  they  were  relieved,  went  to  the 
rear,  cleaned  their  rifles,  refilled  their  cartridge  boxes,  and  then  with  loud  cheers 
resumed  their  place  in  line.  It  was  the  longest  continuous  fight  of  any  made 
at  Gettysburg.  General  Meade  after  listening  to  the  incessant  musketry  around 
Gulp's  Hill  thought  that  Geary  \vas  expending  ammunition  unnecessarily,  and 
notified  General  Slocum  to  that  effect.  Meade,  however,  expressed  satisfaction 
when  Slocum  explained  the  situation.  Some  of  Geary's  regiments  fired  160 
rounds.  There  were  3,702  enlisted  men  of  this  division  present  on  the  field; 
they  expended  in  the  fight  of  July  3d,  277,000  rounds  of  ammunition. 

But  the  best  evidence  that  there  was  no  waste  of  ammunition  was  the  ground 
itself  when  the  fight  was  over.  At  no  place  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg  did  the 
dead  lie  thicker  than  on  the  ground  in  front  of  Geary's  Division.  Johnson 
sustained  a  loss  of  2,015,  not  including  the  casualties  in  Daniel's  and  O'Neal's 
brigades.  These  two  commands  lost  1,612  at  Gettysburg;  but  they  were  en 
gaged  in  the  battle  of  the  first  day,  also.,  and  the  casualties  are  not  reported 
separately. 

In  remarkable  contrast  are  the  comparatively  small  losses  of  the  Twelfth 
Corps,  whose  casualties  are  reported  at  1,156,  of  which  seventy-four  occurred  in 
Shaler's  Brigade.  And  the  Twelfth  Corps  was  the  attacking  line,  aside  from 
Greene's  position.  But  this  corps  had  in  previous  battles  —  at  Cedar  Mountain, 
Antietam,  and  Chancellorsville —  gone  on  record  as  inflicting  a  greater  loss 
than  it  received. 

The  effect  of  the  musketry  on  the  forest  was  visible  for  many  years  in  the 
dead  and  dying  trees,  few  of  which  survived  the  countless  scars  received  during 
this  storm  of  bullets  and  cannon  shots. 

In  this  fight  on  Gulp's  Hill  the  First  Maryland  Infantry  of  Steuart's  Brigade 
fought  with  the  First  Maryland  of  Lockwood's  Brigade.  Kinsmen  and  neigh 
bors  were  arrayed  against  each  other,  and  their  mingled  dead  strewed  the  ground 
thickly  where  this  bloody  scene  of  civil  war  was  enacted. 

While  the  battle  was  progressing  on  the  right,  during  the  morning  of  the 
3d,  NeilFs  Brigade,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  was  ordered  by  General  Slocum  to  cross 
Rock  Creek  and  drive  back  Johnson's  skirmishers  who  had  extended  his  flank 
in  that  direction.  General  Neill's  regiments,  passing  around  the  extreme  right 
of  the  Union  army,  crossed  the  creek,  and  forming  line  pushed  through  the 
woods,  driving  the  enemy's  pickets  before  them.  In  this  affair  Capt.  William  H. 
Gilfillan,  of  the  Forty-third  New  York,  was  killed.  The  Forty-ninth  and  Thirty- 
third  New  York*  were  also  engaged,  but  with  comparatively  slight  loss.  The 

*  The  Thirty-third  New  York  was  a  two-years'  regiment  which  was  mustered  out  June 
2,  1863  —  before  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  A  small  detachment  of  three-years'  men  that 
remained  in  the  field  were  attached  to  the  Forty-ninth  New  York,  and  on  October  I, 
1863,  were  permanently  transferred  to  that  regiment. 


72  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Seventy-seventh  New  York,  of  this  brigade,  was  stationed  in  the  meanwhile 
near  Slocum's  Headquarters  on  Powers'  Hill,  in  support  of  the  Twelfth  Corps 
Artillery,  part  of  which  under  Colonel  Best,  chief  of  artillery,  was  massed  on 
that  elevation. 

During  the  morning  and  forenoon  of  the  3d  everything  was  quiet  on  the  left 
and  centre  of  the  Union  line.  The  soldiers  rested  idly  in  their  places  listening 
to  the  sullen  roar  of  the  determined  and  persistent  conflict  at  Gulp's  Hill.  A 
few  troops  moved  into  postion,  but  the  front  remained  about  the  same  as  when 
the  fighting  ceased  on  the  evening  of  the  day  before.  Caldwell's  Division  re 
sumed  its  place  on  the  left  of  the  Second  Corps,  a  little  to  the  left  of  its  original 
line,  and  busied  itself  during  the  forenoon  in  throwing  up  intrenchments. 
The  three  divisions  of  the  First  Corps  occupied  disconnected  positions  :  Wads- 
worth  remained  on  the  west  front  of  Gulp's  Hill ;  Robinson  was  placed  between 
the  Eleventh  and  Second  Corps ;  while  Doubleday  held  an  advanced  position  in 
the  line  of  the  Second  Corps  between  Gibbon  and  Caldwell.  The  Fifth  Corps 
held  an  intrenched  line  connecting  both  Round  Tops,  which  rendered  the  left 
impregnable.  The  Third  Corps  had  reformed  its  thinned  ranks  and  was 
massed  in  columns  of  regiments  in  rear  of  Hancock's  left.  The  Sixth  Corps 
occupied  various  places  in  reserve  on  the  left  and  in  rear  of  Round  Top. 

The  Confederates  held  the  Peach  Orchard  and  Devil's  Den,  the  brigades  of 
Law  and  Robertson  occupying  an  advanced  position  beyond  Plum  Run  and 
near  the  base  of  Big  Round  Top. 

As  the  morning  wore  away  there  was  some  firing  at  times  on  the  skirmish 
line,  and  the  batteries  on  either  side  fired  occasional  shots  to  ascertain  the 
range  at  various  points.  During  the  forenoon  an  affair  occurred  in  front 
of  Hays'  Division,  of  the  Second  Corps,  in  which  some  troops  from  Smyth's 
Brigade  advanced  to  the  buildings  on  the  Bliss  farm,  situated  midway  be 
tween  the  lines,  drove  out  the  sharpshooters,  who  occupied  the  house  and  barn 
in  force,  set  fire  to  the  buildings,  and  then  returned  to  their  place  in  line. 
This  sudden  and  successful  sortie  provoked  a  heavy  artillery  fire  on  that  part 
of  the  field;  but  it  soon  died  out  and  all  was  quiet  again. 

Whatever  plan  General  Lee  may  have  formed  for  the  third  day,  it  was 
impossible  now  to  make  any  combined  attack  in  which  his  left  and  right  could 
co-operate.  General  Slocum's  attack  at  daybreak  had  already  determined  the 
course  of  affairs  on  that  part  of  the  field.  In  fact,  Ewell  had  received  orders 
to  resume  the  offensive  at  the  same  time.  If  Lee  wished  to  continue  the  battle 
he  must  attack  the  Union  left  or  centre.  The  Round  Tops  offered  no  induce 
ments  for  an  assault.  Encouraged  by  the  success  of  Wright's  Brigade  in 
piercing  the  Union  line  on  Cemetery  Ridge  the  evening  before,  Lee  selected 
the  same  point  as  the  place  for  an  attack  to  be  made  by  a  strong  column  with 
ample  supports. 

General  Longstreet,  to  whom  this  movement  was  intrusted,  endeavored  to 
dissuade  his  chief  from  any  further  offensive  operations.  He  again  urged 
that  Lee  should  move  his  army  around  Meade's  left  flank,  and  by  passing  to 
the  south  of  Round  Top  force  him  to  vacate  his  strong  position  at  Gettysburg. 
Such  a  movement  would  threaten  Meade's  communications  with  Washington 
and  Baltimore,  and  he  would  be  forced  to  either  fall  back  to  Pipe  Creek  or,  as 
Longstreet  argued,  attack  Lee  in  a  position  of  his  own  choosing.  But  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  73 

Confederate  general  listened  to  his  lieutenant  only  with  impatience  and  irrita 
tion.  He  was  bent  on  making-  another  attack,  and  would  listen  to  no  sug 
gestion  to  tlie  contrary. 

Considerable  time  was  consumed  in  the  preparations;  but  as  it  was  impos 
sible  for  Longstreet  to  organize  any  important  movement  in  co-operation  with 
Ewell,  whose  troops  had  already  been  engaged  since  daylight,  nothing  was 
lost  by  the  delay.  Moreover,  Pickett's  Division,  whose  troops  had  not  been 
engaged  and  were  necessary  to  the  plan,  did  not  arrive  on  the  field  until  after 
8  in  the  morning.  They  made  a  forced  march  from  Chambersburg  on  the 
2d,  and  had  bivouacked  some  distance  from  Gettysburg. 

The  troops  selected  by  General  Lee  for  the  assault  were  Pickett's  Division 
of  Virginians,  of  Longstreet's  Corps,  and  Heth's  Division,  of  Hill's  Corps. 
Heth  having  been  wounded  on  the  ist,  his  division  was  under  the  command  of 
General  Pettigrew.  In  support  of  these  two  divisions,  Wilcox's  and  Perry's 
brigades,  of  Anderson's  Division,  were  to  advance  in  support  of  Pickett's  right, 
while  the  left  of  Pettigrew's  Division  was  to  be  supported  by  the  brigades  of 
Lane  and  Scales,  of  Fender's  Division,  under  command  of  General  Trimble.  The 
attacking  force,  as  thus  constituted,  contained  eleven  brigades,  numbering  about 
14,300  men,  most  of  these  brigades  having  been  reduced  in  strength  greatly 
by  the  fighting  of  the  two  previous  days.  Of  these  eleven  brigades,  eight  be 
longed  to  Hill's  Corps;  and  it  does  not  appear  why  the  movement  was  put  in 
charge  of  Longstreet,  unless  it  was  on  account  of  the  confidence  which  Gen 
eral  Lee  had  in  his  ability.  The  first  plan  was  to  have  McLaws  and  Hood 
support  Pickett;  but  the  position  in  their  front  could  not  be  attacked  with 
success,  and  to  have  drawn  them  away  to  the  left  in  support  of  Pickett  would 
have  necessitated  the  abandonment  of  the  ground  which  had  cost  them  so 
dearly  the  day  before. 

Longstreet  had  no  confidence  in  the  success  of  the  assault,  and  while  dis 
cussing  the  plan  with  General  Lee  expressed  an  opinion  "  that  the  15,000  men 
who  could  make  a  successful  assault  over  that  field  had  never  been  arrayed 
for  battle."* 

As  it  was  ordered  that  a  strong  cannonade  should  precede  the  infantry  move 
ment,  Longstreet  formed  the  line  of  the  attacking  forces  behind  his  artillery, 
Pickett's  Division,  on  the  right,  in  the  depression  behind  the  Emmitsburg  Road, 
and  the  others  in  the  woods  in  rear  of  Seminary  Ridge,  where  they  were  con 
cealed  from  view  and  were  well  protected  from  artillery  fire.  Pickett's  Division 
was  designated  as  the  column  of  direction,  and  Pettigrew  was  instructed  that 
the  movement  of  his  division  must  conform  to  that  of  Pickett.  The  place  on 
Cemetery  Ridge  selected  by  General  Lee  for  delivering  the  assault  embraced 
that  part  of  the  Union  line  held  by  the  Second  Corps,  a  small  copse  of  trees 
in  front  of  Gibbon's  Division  being  pointed  out  to  Pickett  as  the  object  of 
direction. 

General  Lee  ordered  a  strong  cannonade  from  his  entire  line  as  a  preliminary 
to  the  attack,  hoping  to  demoralize  the  opposing  infantry,  and  to  so  exhaust 
the  ammunition  and  batteries  of  the  enemy  that  the  Confederate  infantry 
could  cross  the  open  space  of  1,500  yards  or  more  without  suffering  too  much 

*  Longstreet's  Memoirs;  Lippincott  Co.    Philadelphia.    1896. 


74  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

from  artillery.  In  accordance  with  this  plan  Colonel  Alexander,*  of  Longstreet's 
Corps,  placed  a  line  of  batteries  along  or  near  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  forming 
one  grand  battery  of  seventy-five  guns,  all  placed  so  as  to  command  the  ridge 
from  Cemetery  Hill  to  Round  Top.  On  Alexander's  left  and  along  Seminary 
Ridge  a  line  of  batteries  was  formed,  containing  sixty-three  guns,-  belonging 
to  Hill's  Corps,  under  command  of  Colonel  Walker.  On  Walker's  extreme 
left,  at  Oak  Hill,  were  two  Whitworth  guns  with  a  range  exceeding  any  other 
piece  of  artillery  on  the  field.  This  long  line  of  batteries  contained  138  guns 
of  field  artillery,  of  various  patterns  and  calibres,  but  mostly  three-inch  rifles 
and  twelve-pounder  Napoleons.  The  latter  were  brass,  smooth  bores,  with  a 
calibre  of  four  and  one-half  inches.  The  line  included  also  six  twenty-pounder 
rifled  Parrotts,  two  Whitworths,  and  four  twenty-four-pounder  howitzers. 

To  meet  this  impending  storm  General  Hunt  disposed  his  artillery  along 
Cemetery  Ridge  as  best  he  could  in  view  of  his  much  shorter  line.  Being  on  an 
inner  concentric  line  it  would  be  impossible  to  place  as  many  pieces  of  artillery 
in  position  as  his  opponent  had  posted  along  the  outer  circle.  In  front  of  Cald- 
well's  Division,  Second  Corps,  forty-one  guns  of  the  Reserve  Artillery,  under 
Colonel  McGilvery,  were  closely  arranged.  In  this  line  were  placed  Ames' 
and  Hart's  New  York  batteries,  both  of  which  belonged  to  the  Reserve  Artillery. 
Each  of  these  batteries  had  won  distinction  in  the  fighting  on  the  previous 
day  at  the  Peach  Orchard. 

Farther  to  the  right,  in  front  of  Gibbon  and  Hays,  was  the  artillery  of  the 
Second  Corps,  under  command  of  Captain  Hazzard,  chief  of  the  corps  artil 
lery.  On  Cemetery  Hill  some  of  the  batteries  of  the  Eleventh  and  First  Corps 
were  brought  to  bear  on  the  fields  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  while  from 
the  summit  of  Little  Round  Top  Hazlett's  three-inch  rifles  could  enfilade  the 
entire  field  in  front  of  Cemetery  Ridge.  Cowan's  First  New  York  Battery, 
and  Rorty's  New  York  Battery  (B,  First  Light  Artillery)  were  placed  near  the 
centre  of  the  Second  Corps.  Along  Cemetery  Ridge,  within  one  mile,  Gen 
eral  Hunt  had  thus  placed  seventy-seven  pieces  of  artillery,  not  including  those 
on  Cemetery  Hill  and  Little  Round  Top. 

The  Confederate  cannon  were  all  in  position  by  noon,  and  the  imposing 
display  of  artillery,  covering  the  entire  front  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir 
ginia,  was  plainly  visible  from  the  Union  line,  only  1,600  yards  distant.  An 
other  hour  was  consumed  in  minor  preparations,  during  which  no  sound  of 
conflict  broke  the  portentous  silence.  The  smoky  air  was  hot  with  noontide 
heat,  while  over  the  intervening  valley  hung  a  murky  haze  like  that  of  Indian 
summer.  No  sounds  were  heard  except  some  distant  picket  shot,  some  sharp 
word  of  command,  the  clank  of  harness,  or  clucking  noise  of  artillery  wheels  as 
some  battery  took  position.  Through  the  still  air  came  the  sound  of  insect 
life,  and  the  farmer  boys  lying  along  the  lines  heard,  with  homesick  ears,  the 
hum  of  bees.  On  either  side  the  soldiers  awaited  the  outburst  with  calm 
determination,  gripping  tighter  the  trusty  rifles  on  whose  work  the  issue  must 
finally  depend. 

At  exactly  i  o'clock  a  stream  of  white  smoke  shot  out  from  a  cannon  on  the 
Emmitsburg  Road  near  the  Rogers  House,  followed  quickly  by  a  second  one. 

*  Colonel  Alexander's  duties  on  this  occasion  were  of  a  special  character;  Col.  J.  B. 
Walton  was  chief  of  artillery  for  Long-street's  Corps. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  75 

They  were  the  two  signal  guns  fired  by  the  Washington  Artillery  for  which 
all  the  batteries  were  waiting.  The  signal  was  followed  instantly  by  the  open 
ing  of  the  entire  line  of  Confederate  artillery  of  138  pieces,  and  Seminary  Ridge 
was  soon  hidden  by  the  dense  clouds  of  smoke,  through  which  the  flashes  of 
the  guns  marked  their  position.  Some  of  the  batteries,  in  accordance  with 
their  instructions,  fired  by  volley. 

The  eighty  guns  or  more  on  Cemetery  Ridge  withheld  their  fire  a  few 
minutes,  and  then  opened  with  a  fierce  reply.  Over  220  guns  were  soon  in 
action.  Since  the  battle  of  Cressy  so  many  cannon  had  never  been  engaged 
at  once  on  any  battlefield  of  the  world.  It  was  an  epoch  in  the  annals  of  war. 
The  sound  was  terrific.  No  soldier  had  heard  its  like  before.  In  addition  to 
the  roar  of  the  guns  there  was  the  sharp  detonation  of  bursting  shell  and  shrill 
scream  of  conical  shot.  The  thunder  of  the  conflict  was  heard  plainly  forty 
miles  away.  In  addition  to  the  appalling  sound  there  were  the  terrible  scenes 
caused  by  the  plunging  and  exploding  missiles.  Cannon  were  dismounted  and 
caissons  blown  up,  while  men  and  horses  were  mangled  and  torn  in  every  con 
ceivable  shape.  Above  the  tumult  could  be  heard  at  times  that  most  horrible 
of  all  sounds,  the  cry  of  a  wounded  horse. 

From  its  position  on  the  outer  curve  the  fire  of  the  Confederate  artillery 
was  convergent,  while  that  of  the  Union  batteries  was  necessarily  divergent. 
Still,  the  Confederate  artillerists  did  not  concentrate  their  fire  wholly  on  the 
point  selected  for  the  infantry  assault.  At  times  their  shots  were  dispersed  in 
an  effort  to  keep  down  the  fire  of  certain  batteries  which  were  especially  har 
assing.  General  Hunt  had  instructed  his  battery  commanders  to  concentrate 
their  fire  with  accuracy  on  the  batteries  which  proved  most  destructive,  but 
to  fire  slowly,  so  that  when  the  cannonade  was  over  they  would  have  ammuni 
tion  left  to  meet  the  infantry  assault  which  he  felt  sure  would  follow. 

The  Confederate  batteries  directed  their  fire  largely  on  that  part  of  Ceme 
tery  Ridge  which  was  held  by  Hancock's  Corps,  the  point  selected  by  General 
Lee  for  the  ensuing  infantry  assault  being  situated  on  that  line.  While  this 
terrible,  convergent  fire  was  at  its  hottest,  and  every  infantryman  was  lying 
prone  upon  the  ground,  General  Hancock,  accompanied  by  some  of  his  staff 
and  an  orderly  carrying  the  corps  flag,  rode  slowly  along  the  line  of  the  Second 
Corps  through  the  storm  of  plunging  shot  and  exploding  shell,  his  gallant, 
soldierly  bearing  doing  much  to  reassure  his  men  and  nerve  them  for  the  more 
deadly  fighting  which  was  soon  to  follow. 

The  aim  of  the  Confederate  gunners  was  too  high  at  times.  Many  of  the 
shots  passed  over  Cemetery  Ridge  high  in  air,  and,  owing  to  the  sharp  curve 
in  the  Union  position,  struck  the  Twelfth  Corps  line  in  reverse.  The  most 
exposed  and  dangerous  places  were  not  alone  on  the  crest  of  Cemetery  Ridge, 
but  also  in  the  low  ground  behind  it.  The  field  around  General  Meade's  head 
quarters,  on  the  Taneytown  Road,  was  strewn  with  the  bodies  of  the  dead 
horses  picketed  there,  while  the  shells  which  were  bursting  in  the  house  and 
door-yard  forced  the  general  and  his  staff  to  seek  temporary  quarters  with 
General  Slocum  on  Powers'  Hill. 

And,  yet,  amid  all  this  dire  tumult  the  infantry  of  both  armies  lay  on  the 
Around  with  their  rifles  beside  them  and  not  a  man  left  his  place.  The  veterans 
had  lain  under  artillery  fire  too  often  to  become  demoralized  by  the  cannonade, 


^5  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

terrible  as  it  was.  The  official  reports  of  both  armies  indicate  that  the  infantry 
did  not  sustain  any  casualties  from  this  artillery  fire  in  any  way  proportionate 
to  such  a  formidable  demonstration. 

General  Longstreet  had  instructed  Colonel  Alexander  to  observe  closely 
the  enemy's  fire,  and  when  the  proper  time  should  arrive  for  the  infantry  to 
advance  to  notify  General  Pickett.  The  cannonade  had  continued  for  an  hour 
and  thirty  minutes,  when  the  Union  batteries, under  orders  from  Genera^  Hunt, 
gradually  ceased  firing  in  order  to  save  their  ammunition,  to  replace  disabled 
guns  and  to  be  in  readiness  for  any  infantry  attack  that  might  follow. 
Succeeding  this  the  Confederate  artillery  soon  slackened  its  fire  also. 

When  Alexander  noticed  that  the  Union  batteries  had  ceased  firing  he  sent 
written  word  to  Pickett  that  an  opportune  time  had  come  and  to  advance  im 
mediately.  Pickett  showed  the  note  to  Longstreet,  who  read  it,  but  said  noth 
ing.  Pickett  then  asked  whether  he  should  advance.  Longstreet,  burdened 
by  his  gloomy  forebodings  of  defeat,  could  answer  only  by  bowing  his  head 
affirmatively.  '  The  long  line  of  gray-clad  infantry  then  moved  forward  past 
the  batteries,  which  cetised  firing  to  let  them  pass. 

Before  the  infantry  started,  General  Wright,  of  the  Georgia  Brigade,  who 
was  discussing  with  Colonel  Alexander  the  proposed  assault,  and  examining 
through  his  field-glass  the  point  selected  for  attack,  said :  "  It  is  not  so  hard 
to  go  there  as  it  looks ;  I  was  nearly  there  with  my  brigade  yesterday.  The 
trouble  is  to  stay  there."*  The  nature  of  the  task  could  not  have  been  de 
scribed  better. 

Pickett  had  formed  his  division  in  two  lines,  with  Kemper's  and  Garnett's 
brigades  in  the  first,  and  Armistead's  in  the  second.  The  four  brigades  of 
Pettigrew's  Division  were  in  line  on  Pickett's  left.  In  Pettigrew's  rear  was  a 
second  line  composed  of  Trimble's  two  brigades.  The  supporting  column  on 
Pickett's  right  waited  for  the  main  column  to  clear  its  front,  and  then  moved 
forward  en  echelon. 

Aside  from  Longstreet,  the  Confederate  generals  seemed  confident  of  suc 
cess,  although  fully  comprehending  the  magnitude  of  the  task.  Repeated 
victories  had  led  them  to  believe  that  they  could  execute  successfully  what 
ever  their  general  might  plan.  Each  saluted  proudly  as  he  rode  past  the  corps 
commander.  Pickett,  who  was  a  superb  horseman,  rode  by  as  if  on  parade, 
his  cap  set  jauntily  on  one  side  over  his  brown,  curling  hair,  which  was  neatly 
dressed  and  reached  nearly  to  his  shoulders.  Trimble  sprang  into  his  saddle, 
and  adjusted  his  seat  and  reins  with  the  graceful  air  of  a  man  starting  on  a 
pleasant  ride.  Gen.  "  Dick  "  Garnett  left  his  sick  couch  in  an  ambulance, 
and  wrapping  himself  in  an  old  blue  overcoat  rode  forward  for  his  last  charge. 
The  men  in  the  ranks  understood  clearly  the  desperate  character  of  the  move 
ment,  and  along  the  line  many  of  them  were  heard  in  subdued  voices,  calling 
good-bye  to  comrades  and  friends.f  Yet,  with  their  rifles  carried  jauntily  at  a 
right-shoulder-shift,  they  moved  onward  with  a  light  elastic  step  as  steadily 

*  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers:  1877,  vol.  IV,  p.  105.  Also,  Battles  and  Leaders  of 
the  Civil  War:  Century  Co.,  New  York. 

f  The  Confederate  officers  were  directed  to  take  a  careful  view  of  the  field,  and  "  to  tell 
their  men  of  it,  to  prepare  them  for  the  sight  that  was  to  burst  upon  them  as  they  mounted 
the  crest.'1'  (Longstreet's  Memoirs,  p.  390.) 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  77 

as  if  on  a  grand  review.  As  Scales'  Brigade  passed  General  Lee  he  noticed 
that  some  of  the  men  wore  bloody  bandages  on  account  of  wounds  received 
in  the  first  day's  fighting,  and  he  expressed  himself  feelingly  in  their  behalf. 

Along  the  Union  position  on  Cemetery  Ridge  the  soldiers  were  watching 
eagerly.  The  long  line  of  the  enemy's  infantry,  as  it  emerged  from  the  woods 
on  Seminary  Ridge,  presented  one  of  the  grandest  sights  ever  seen  on  a  field 
of  battle.  Its  front  was  nearly  one  mile  in  length.  There  were  no  gaudy 
uniforms ;  but  there  was  a  precision  of  movement  and  air  of  discipline  that 
evoked  in  the  highest  degree  the  admiration  of  each  soldier  who  awaited  their 
coming.  And  over  each  section  of  the  gray  and  glittering  line  waved  in  blue 
and  red  the  "  meteor  flag  "  of  the  Confederacy. 

The  intervening  valley  across  which  the  Confederate  advance  was  made  is 
over  i, 600  yards,  or  about  one  mile,  wide.  The  surface  of  the  ground  is  rolling, 
with,  occasional  depressions,  in  which  the  advancing  troops  were  hidden  from 
view  at  times  and  protected  from  the  artillery  fire  in  front.  As  the  advance 
commenced  the  Confederate  batteries  ceased  firing,  but  resumed  their  work  as 
soon  as  they  were  able  to  fire  over  the  heads  of  the  moving  troops.  The  Union 
battery  on  Little  Round  Top,  distant  a  mile  or  more,  reopened  with  an  enfilad 
ing  fire  that  inflicted  considerable  loss,  but  without  delaying  the  advance  in  the 
least.  Wherever  a  gap  was  made  in  the  lines,  the  men  closed  up  promptly  and 
moved  steadily  forward.  The  main  line  of  the  Union  artillery  reserved  its  fire 
until  the  enemy  were  within  700  yards. 

The  clump  of  trees  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  which  had  been  pointed  out  to 
Pickett  as  the  place  of  assault,  was  not  opposite  the  position  from  which  his 
division  started,  but  was  situated  a  thousand  yards  or  more  to  the  left.  Con 
sequently,  his  troops  marched  diagonally  across  the  fields,  and  after  crossing 
the  Emmitsburg  Road  moved  by  the  left  flank  some  distance,  after  which 
they  faced  to  the  front  again.  On  Pickett's  left,  Pettigrew's  four  brigades 
were  advancing  in  one  line,  with  Trimble's  two  brigades  following  closely  in 
their  rear.  The  two  brigades  of  Perry  and  Wilcox,  which  were  to  support 
Pickett's  right,  started  soon  after,  but  moved  straight  across  the  fields,  the 
smoke  and  confusion  concealing  Pickett's  divergent  march  to  the  left.  The 
advance  of  Perry  and  Wilcox  thus  became  an  isolated  movement  without  con 
nection  right  or  left. 

Before  reaching  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  Pickett  and  Pettigrew  halted  their 
troops  for  a  few  minutes  during  which  a  general  alignment  was  obtained. 
Soon  after  they  resumed  their  march  every  battery  in  the  Union  line  that  could 
reach  them  opened  fire,  but  without  retarding  their  steady  advance.  On  reach 
ing  the  road  the  skirmishers  on  both  sides  fell  back  to  their  respective  lines, 
and  here  the  Confederates  encountered  their  first  serious  obstacle.  The  road 
was  not  parallel  with  their  line,  and  in  climbing  over  the  two  fences  their 
ranks  were  broken  up  successively  from  right  to  left.  Here  Gibbon's  Division 
opened  on  them  with  musketry  while  the  batteries  poured  in  a  destructive 
fire  of  canister. 

But  Kemper's  a^id  Garnett's  brigades  re-formed  under  fire,  and  pressing 
steadily  on  entered  the  one  remaining  field  which  lay  between  them  and 
the  Union  line.  Here  they  encountered  the  fire  from  the  infantry  of  Hall's  and 
Harrow's  brigades  and  an  oblique  fire  from  two  regiments  of  Stannard's 
Vermont  Brigade,  which  had  been  posted  in  a  salient  position.  Without  halt- 


78  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

ing  to  return  this  fire,  Kemper's  and  Garnett's  brigades  faced  to  the  left  and 
moved  in  that  direction  until  opposite  Webb's  position,  where  they  faced 
to  the  front  and,  joined  by  Armistead's  Brigade  of  their  second  line,  delivered 
their  fire.  Then  raising  the  charging  yell,  the  remnant  of  this  assaulting 
column  rushed  forward  to  the  stone  wall  behind  which  lay  Webb's  Philadelphia 
Brigade  and  Cushing's  United  States  Battery. 

When  the  troops  which  formed  the  right  of  Pickett's  line  faced  to  the  left 
and  moved  off  towards  Webb,  as  just  described,  they  uncovered  the  front  of 
the  Vermont  Brigade.  Hancock,  quick  to  see  his  advantage,  directed  Stan- 
nard  to  throw  two  of  his  regiments  forward  and  attack  Pickett's  right  flank. 
The  Thirteenth  Vermont  immediately  changed  front  forward  on  its  right  com 
pany,  and  the  Sixteenth  Vermont  formed  on  its  left,  thus  making  a  line  of 
battle  at  right  angles  to  the  Union  front.  From  this  position  the  Vermonters 
poured  a  flank  fire  into  Pickett's  lines  that  raked  the  entire  division,  and  as 
the  Confederates  kept  moving  to  the  left  these  two  regiments  followed  at  short 
range,  delivering  a  deadly  fire  as  fast  as  they  could  load  and  discharge  their 
pieces.  Several  hundred  of  the  Virginians,  unable  to  withstand  this  flank  at 
tack,  threw  down  their  arms,  and  rushed  within  the  ranks  of  the  Vermonters 
for  protection  as  prisoners. 

Joining  Pickett  on  his  left,  Pettigrew's  and  Trimble's  forces  charged  gallantly 
forward  at  the  same  time,  and,  passing  the  angle  in  the  wall  at  Webb's  position, 
attacked  Hays'  Division.  By  the  time  Pickett's  advance  had  reached  the  stone 
wall  in  front  of  Webb  and  Gushing,  the  three  brigades  of  Kemper,  Garnett  and 
Armistead,  or  what  was  left  of  them,  were  in  one  confused  mass  of  desperate 
assailants.  General  Garnett  was  killed,  falling  from  his  horse  within  twenty- 
five  paces  of  the  wall.  General  Kemper  was  severely  wounded.  General  Armis 
tead,  whose  brigade  was  in  the  rear  of  the  assaulting  column  at  the  Emmitsburg 
Road,  pushed  forward  with  his  men  through  the  disorganized  mass  of  assailants 
and,  placing  his  hat  on  the  point  of  his  uplifted  sword,  sprang  over  the  low  wall 
at  the  opening  in  front  of  Cushing's  guns,  where  he  was  shot  down,  mortally 
wounded.  He  was  followed  by  several  hundred  Virginians  belonging  to 
Pickett's  three  brigades  and  some  of  Pettigrew's  troops.  For  a  few  minutes 
the  Confederate  flags  were  waving  on  the  wall  and  within  the  Union  lines.  It 
seemed  as  though  the  assault  would  be  successful. 

The  regiments  of  Hall's  and  Harrow's  brigades,  now  freed  from  the  attack  on 
their  direct  front,  moved  promptly  to  the  right,  and  swarmed  around  the  clump 
of  trees  in  support  of  Webb  until  the  men  were  massed  four  deep  around  the 
hapless  party  of  Confederates  who  had  crossed  the  wall.  A  Confederate  battery, 
near  the  Peach  Orchard,  seeing  this  movement  of  Union  troops  against  Pickett's 
flank  at  the  clump  of  trees,  sent  several  shots  that  ploughed  through  the  mass 
with  terrible  effect,  but  failed  to  disperse  the  crowd  of  gallant  men  who  were 
bent  on  driving  back  their  assailants.  In  swift  succession  the  Southern  flags 
went  down,  and  those  of  the  assaulting  column  who  had  not  fallen,  despairing 
of  success,  threw  up  their  hands  in  surrender,  while  those  who  had  not  crossed 
the  wall  turned  in  swift  retreat. 

While  Pickett's  men  were  engaged  in  this  desperate  contest  at  the  Angle,  on 
their  left  Pettigrew's  and  Trimble's  forces  were  facing  a  terrible  infantry  fire  at 
short  range  which  came  from  the  rifles  of  Smyth's  and  Willard's  brigades  of 
Hays'  Division.  Pettigrew's  line  after  crossing  the  Emmitsburg  Road  delivered 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  79 

its  fire  and  then  charged  forward,  Trimble's  two  brigades  of  North  Carolinians, 
who  were  in  the  second  line,  crowding  closely  upon  and  mingling  with  the 
troops  in  front  of  them.  Rushing  past  the  angle  in  the  wall  held  by  Webb's 
Brigade  these  Confederates  pushed  forward  to  the  line  held  by  Webb's  right 
regiment  and  Smyth's  Brigade.  Here  the  Confederate  brigades  of  Archer, 
Pettigrew,  Scales,  and  Lane,  encountered  a  close  fire  before  which  no  troops 
could  stand,  and  the  field  in  front  of  Hays'  line  was  thickly  strewn  with  dead, 
many  of  whom  fell  close  to  the  works.  The  Confederate  line  wavered  for  a 
moment  and  then  broke  and  fled,  while  the  men  of  Hays'  Division  sprang  over 
the  wall  and  captured  a  large  number  of  prisoners  and  many  flags.  Archer's 
Tennessee  Brigade,  which  held  the  right  of  Pettigrew's  Division  and  connected 
with  Pickett's  line,  lost  here  every  flag  in  the  brigade  except  one.  The  divisions 
of  Gibbon  and  Hays  captured  twenty-seven  flags  that  were  sent  to  headquarters 
and  receipts  taken,  fully  half  of  which  were  taken  from  Pettigrew  and  Trimble. 

The  two  brigades  on  the  left  of  Pettigrew's  line  —  Davis'  and  Brocken- 
brough's  —  while  moving  forward  across  the  fields  received  a  destructive  flank 
fire  before  reaching  the  Emmitsburg  Road  from  the  Eighth  Ohio,  which  had 
been  posted  in  an  advance  position  for  picket  duty.  Without 
halting  to  reply,  these  brigades  on  the  left  pushed  forward;  but  on 
reaching  the  road  they  again  encountered  a  flank  fire  from  the  skirmishers  of 
Willard's  Brigade,  under  command  of  Captain  Armstrong,*  of  the  One  hundred 
and  twenty-fifth  New  York,  whose  men  withdrew  .to  the  right  and  formed 
quickly  there.  Pettigrew's  troops,  having  crossed  the  road,  received  a  further 
and  more  disastrous  enfilade  from  the  One  hundred  and  twenty-sixth  New  York, 
of  Willard's  Brigade,  which  General  Hays  had  hurried  into  position  for  this 
purpose.  Broken  and  disorganized  by  this  strong  flank  attack,  but  few  of 
the  men  on  Pettigrew's  left  succeeded  in  nearing  the  main  Union  line. 

The  assault  was  a  failure,  and  as  the  Northern  cheer  rang  out  along  the 
Union  line  the  defeated  columns,  broken,  demoralized,  without  the  semblance  of 
a  regiment  left,  fell  back  in  haste  across  the  fields  over  which  they  had  just 
advanced  in  proud  array.  In  retreating,  Pickett's  men  fell  back  with  Pettigrew's 
troops  instead  of  along  the  line  of  their  own  advance,  thereby  gaining  the  cover 
of  the  woods  on  Seminary  Ridge  more  quickly.  The  losses  in  Pettigrew's  and 
Trimble's  commands  in  this  action  are  not  known,  for  their  casualty  returns  in 
clude  their  losses  in  the  first  day's  battle  as  well.  But  Pickett's  three  brigades 
lost  during  the  brief  time  of  the  assault  2,888  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners, 
out  of  4,900  engaged. 

W^hile  Longstreet's  infantry  was  moving  to  the  assault,  the  Third  Corps, 
which  had  been  massed  in  rear  of  Hancock's  left,  during  the  cannonade,  moved 
quickly  to  the  threatened  position  where  it  formed  in  support  of  the  Second 
Corps. 

It  was  about  twenty  minutes  after  Pickett's  Division  had  started  on  its  ad 
vance,  when  Anderson  sent  the  order  to  Perry  and  Wilcox  to  move  forward 
with  their  brigades  in  support.  They  advanced  promptly,  Perry's  small  brigade 

*  Gen.  Samuel  C.  Armstrong,  LL.  D.,  President  of  the  Hampton  Institute,  Hamp 
ton,  Va. 


go  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

of  three  Florida  regiments,  under  Col.  David  Lang,  forming  the  left  of  the 
line.  As  they  crossed  the  ridge  and  moved  down  the  slope  they  could  see 
but  little  of  the  troops  which  they  were  ordered  to  support.  They  advanced 
steadily,  but  straight  across  the  valley  towards  a  point  far  to  the  right  of  the 
ground  where  Pickett  made  his  assault  and  where  the  repulse  had  already 
occurred.  But  Pickett's  men  in  retreating  fell  back  to  the  nearest  woods  on 
Seminary  Ridge  and  not  along  the  line  of  their  advance.  Thus,  the  full  extent 
of  the  disaster  was  not  so  readily  apparent  to  Lang  and  Wilcox. 

Stannard's  Vermonters,  having  assisted  in  repelling  Pickett's  charge,  now 
saw  from  their  advanced  position  these  two  brigades  of  Anderson's  Division 
coming  forward  on  their  left.  The  Sixteenth  Vermont  changed  front  promptly 
and,  supported  by  the  Fourteenth,  moved  out  to  where  it  could  fire  into  the 
left  flank  of  the  Florida  Brigade.  In  the  meantime  the  Union  batteries  had 
been  firing  at  this  Confederate  line  from  the  time  it  crossed  the  Emmitsburg 
Road,  which  on  this  part  of  the  field  was  much  farther  from  the  Union  line 
than  where  Pickett  crossed  it.  The  two  Confederate  brigades,  harassed  by 
the  musketry  fire  of  the  Vermonters  on  their  flank  and  Caldwell's  Division  on 
their  front,  halted  at  the  western  edge  of  the  bushy  swale.  Anderson,  seeing 
the  hopelessness  of  further  effort,  sent  word  for  them  to  return,  and  at  the 
same  time  ordered  Wright  and  Posey,  who  were  waiting  to  advance  also,  to 
resume  their  positions  in  the  main  line.  In  this  affair  WUcox's  five  regiments, 
numbering  "about"  1,200  men,  sustained  a  loss  of  204.  Lang's  three  regi 
ments  carried  about  400  men  altogether  into  this  action,  of  whom  they  lost 
about  155.  Both  brigades  had  sustained  severe  losses  in  the  battle  of  the 
previous  day,  and  entered  this  charge  with  depleted  ranks. 

The  firm,  determined  resistance  with  which  Webb's  Brigade  met  Pickett's 
men  at  the  critical  moment  of  the  assault  was  largely  due  to  the  gallant  de 
meanor  and  soldierly  ability  of  the  New  York  officer,  Gen.  Alexander  S.  Webb, 
who  was  in  command  at  this  important  point.  The  story  of  the  "  Bloody 
Angle  "  and  "  High  Water  Mark  "  at  Gettysburg  would  be  incomplete  without 
mention  of  his  name. 

Yet,  it  is  doubtful  if  Webb,  despite  his  personal  exertion  and  the  unsurpassed 
bravery  of  his  brigade,  could  have  checked  the  onslaught  of  Pickett's  men 
without  assistance.  The  prompt  rally  of  Hall's  and  Harrow's  brigades  to 
his  relief  did  much  to  save  the  day.  Two  of  the  regiments  to  first  hurry  to  this 
threatened  point  were  the  Forty-second  New  York,  under  the  gallant  Mallon, 
and  the  Nineteenth  Massachusetts,  under  Colonel  Devereux.  The  Forty- 
second,  known  as  the  "  Tammany  Regiment,"  had  suffered  severely  in  the 
fighting  of  the  previous  day ;  but  when  the  Confederate  flags  were  seen  coming 
over  the  wall  the  brave  remnant  of  the  Forty-second  rushed  to  the  scene  and 
shared  in  the  honors  of  victory.  In  this  closing  fight,  Sergeant  Cuddy,  the 
color  bearer,  fell  mortally  wounded ;  but,  raising  himself  erect,  with  one  last 
effort  of  his  strength  he  waved  his  flag  defiantly  before  the  muzzles  of  the 
enemy's  rifles  which  were  not  ten  yards  away.  Private  Michael  McDonough, 
of  this  regiment,  captured  the  flag  of  the  .Twenty-second  North  Carolina,  of 
Scales'  Brigade,  whose  troops  were  commingled  with  Pickett's  at  the  Angle. 

The  Fifty-ninth  New  York,  also  of  Hall's  Brigade,  took  a  most  gallant 
part  in  repelling  Pickett's  attack,  Lieutenant  Hunt  capturing  the  colors  of  the 
Eighteenth  Virginia. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  8l 

The  Eighty-second  New  York, —  Second  N.  Y.  State  Militia  —  of  Harrow's 
Brigade,  was  also  among  the  regiments  which,  facing  to  the  right,  double- 
quicked  to  the  scene  of  the  close  fighting  at  the  copse  of  trees.  This  small 
regiment,  which  had  already  lost  153  men  in  the  second  day's  battle,  lost  69 
more  in  this  action  on  the  third  day.  It  took  305  officers  and  men  on  the 
field,  losing  192,  or  63  per  cent.  Colonel  Huston,  Captain  Hoyt,  Lieutenant 
McDonald,  and  Lieutenant  Cranston  were  killed.  In  the  repulse  of  Pickett's 
charge  the  men  of  the  Eighty-second  captured  the  flags  of  the  First  and  Seventh 
Virginia,  of  Kemper's  Brigade. 

On  the  left  of  Gibbon's  Division  two  regiments  of  the  First  Corps  occupied 
a  place  in  the  front  line,  the  Eightieth  New  York  and  One  hundred  and  fifty- 
first  Pennsylvania,  both  under  command  of  Colonel  Gates  of  the  Eightieth. 
The  latter,  known  also  as  the  Ulster  County  Guard  (or  Twentieth  N.  Y.  S. 
M.),  in  company  with  the  One  hundred  and  fifty-first  took  an  active  part  in 
the  work  of  repelling  the  grand  attack  on  the  3d.  When  Kemper's  and  Gar- 
nett's  brigades,  after  nearing  the  Union  line,  faced  to  the  left  and  moved  parallel 
with  it,  the  Eightieth  followed  up  this  movement  of  the  enemy,  the  men  firing 
as  they  marched  until  they  reached  the  clump  of  trees  where  they  participated 
in  the  final  encounter.  The  Eightieth  went  into  action  on  the  first  day  with  28 
officers  and  259  men,  losing  in  the  three  days'  fighting  19  officers  and  151  men. 
Of  this  number  3  officers  were  killed,  and  24  men  were  taken  prisoners. 

As  already  stated,  the  attack  of  Pettigrew's  line  received  a  severe  check 
from  the  deadly  flank  fire  delivered  by  skirmishers  and  troops  belonging  to 
Willard's  New  York  Brigade.  When  the  charging  line  of  Confederates  halted 
and  wavered  under  the  effect  of  this  fire,  the  men  of  the  New  York  Brigade 
sprang  forward  in  a  counter  attack,  during  which  they  captured  a  large  number 
of  prisoners  and  battle  flags.  Col.  Eliakim  Sherrill,  who  succeeded  to  the  com 
mand  of  this  brigade  after  Colonel  Willard's  death  on  the  second  day,  was  killed 
in  this  action.  The  One  hundred  and  twenty-sixth  New  York  was  actively 
engaged  in  the  flank  attack  on  Pettigrew,  and  captured  three  stands  of  colors. 

During  the  cannonade  the  One  hundred  and  eleventh  New  York  of  this 
same  brigade  occupied  an  exposed  position  near  the  right  of  Smyth's  Brigade, 
where  it  lost  several  men  from  artillery  fire,  among  them  Lieut.  John  H. 
Drake,  who  was  killed  by  a  shell.  The  regiment  participated  also  in  the  fight 
with  Pettigrew's  and  Trimble's  forces.  The  One  hundred  and  eleventh  took 
390  officers  and  men  into  action  at  Gettysburg.  During  the  two  days'  fighting 
it  lost  249,  of  whom  95  men  were  killed  or  mortally  wounded.  With  one 
exception  it  sustained  the  greatest  numerical  loss  of  any  Union  regiment  at 
Gettysburg.,  Col.  Clinton  D.  MacDougall,  who  commanded  the  regiment 
both  days,  was  severely  wounded  in  the  action  of  July  3d. 

The  One  hundred  and  eighth  New  York,  of  Smyth's  Brigade,  supported 
Woodruff's  Battery  —  I,  First  U.  S.  Artillery, —  which  was  posted  at  Ziegler's 
Grove,  on  the  right  of  the  Second  Corps,  during  the  second  and  third  days. 
While  engaged  in  this  trying  duty  the  regiment  lost  102  killed  and  wounded. 
The  men  assisted  in  manoeuvring  the  battery,  which  was  seriously  crippled 
by  its  own  losses  in  men  and  horses. 

The  Tenth  New  York  Battalion,  also  attached  to  Smyth's  Brigade,  rendered 
efficient  service  as  a  provost-guard  during  the  battle,  being  deployed  in  rear 
6 


82  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

of  Hays'  Division,  where  it  was  under  fire.  After  the  repulse  of  Longstrcet's 
assault,  about  1,800  Confederate  prisoners,  who  had  been  captured  by  the 
Second  Corps,  were  turned  over  to  the  battalion  for  safe-keeping. 

Among  the  artillery  commands  that  assisted  in  the  repulse  of  Longstreet's 
assault  on  the  third  day,  none  rendered  more  efficient  service  .than  Cowan's 
and  Rorty's  New  York  batteries.  During  the  grand  cannonade  Cowan  —  First 
New  York  Independent  Battery  —  went  into  action  with  his  six  three-inch 
rifles  at  a  point  on  General  Doubleday's  front;  but  when  the  Confederate 
infantry  advanced  he  was  ordered  to  relieve  Brown's  (R.  I.)  Battery,  which 
had  been  in  action  farther  to  his  right,  at  the  clump  of  trees  on  the  left  of 
Webb's  Brigade.  Cowan  moved  on  a  gallop  up  to  this  latter  position,  from 
where  he  commenced  firing  canister  at  200  yards.  The  enemy,  still  advancing, 
crossed  the  low  wall  in  his  front  and  charged  forward  to  within  ten  yards  of 
one  of  his  pieces.  The  lieutenant  wras  down,  shot  through  the  body;  one  of  the 
men  thrust  a  double  charge  of  canister  into  the  muzzle  and  fell  dead  with  three 
bullets  in  his  face;  the  gunner  rammed  the  charge  home  and  went  reeling  to 
the  ground  shot  through  both  thighs;  the  corporal  of  the  piece  raised  his  hand 
in  the  signal  to  fire  and  fell  with  his  body  across  the  trail  piece.  The  lanyard 
was  pulled  when  the  yelling  Confederates  were  within  ten  paces.  They  never 
reached  the  battery.  It  was  thus  that  the  men  of  New  York  stood  to  their 
guns  at  Gettysburg. 

Just  on  Cowan's  left  were  the  four  three-inch  rifles  of  Battery  B,  First  New 
York  Light  Artillery,  better  known  as  "  Pettit's  Battery."  To  this  command 
had  been  attached  the  Fourteenth  New  York  Independent  Battery.  Capt. 
James  M.  Rorty,  of  the  latter,  was  in  command  of  both,  having  been  thus 
assigned  the  day  before.  The  battery  was  engaged  in  the  grand  artillery 
contest  on  the  3d,  its  deliberate,  accurate  fire  proving  very  effective.  During 
the  succeeding  infantry  assault  it  threw  canister  in  double  charges  at  short 
range.  It  sustained  a  severe  loss  in  killed,  among  whom  was  Captain  Rorty. 
Lieutenant  Sheldon,  the  senior  officer  of  Company  B,  was  among  the 
wounded.  The  number  killed  in  this  New  York  battery  exceeded  that  in 
any  other  battery  at  Gettysburg. 

Fitzhugh's  (K,  First  N.  Y.  L.  A.)  and  Wheeler's  (Thirteenth  Independent) 
New  York  Batteries  came  to  the  help  of  Gibbon's  Division  at  an  opportune 
time,  relieving  some  batteries  which  had  expended  their  ammunition  and  were 
more  or  less  disabled.  Fitzhugh  and  Wheeler  arrived  while  Longstreet's 
infantry  lines  were  moving  to  the  assault,  and  in  time  to  deliver  an  effective 
fire  of  canister. 

Of  the  nineteen  New  York  batteries  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  Gettys 
burg,  all  except  three  were  actively  engaged  and  suffered  losses  more  or  less 
severe.  The  three  exceptions  were  Barnes'  (C,  First  N.  Y.  L.  A.)  Battery,  of 
the  Fifth  Corps,  Harn's  Third  New  York,  of  the"  Sixth  Corps,  and  Martin's 
Sixth  New  York,  of  the  horse  artillery.  Each  of  them,  however,  were  in  posi 
tion  near  the  front  line  and  under  fire,  although  sustaining  no  loss.  Barnes 
occupied  an  important  point  on  Little  Round  Top;  Hart  and  Martin  went  into 
position  near  the  Taneytown  Road  in  rear  of  the  Second  Corps. 

Of  the  sixty-eight  New  York  regiments  or  battalions  of  infantry  present, 
all  were  actively  engaged  except  the  Ninety-third  Regiment  and  Twelfth 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  83 

Battalion.  The  former  was  a  splendid  body  of  men,  attached  to  the  provost- 
guard  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  assigned  to  duty  at  general  head 
quarters.  The  Twelfth  Battalion  contained  two  companies  only,  both  of  which 
were  detailed  on  duty  at  General  Sykes'  headquarters,  Fifth  Corps. 

Throughout  all  the  righting  of  the  second  and  third  days,  Col.  Orland  Smith's 
Brigade  of  Steinwehr's  Division  held  its  position  along  the  western  base  of 
Cemetery  Hill,  at  the  intersection  of  the  Taneytown  and  Emmitsburg  roads, 
the  same  position  to  which  it  was  assigned  on  the  first  day.  This  brigade  aid 
not  participate  in  any  particular  action,  but  was  engaged  the  entire  time  in 
skirmish  and  picket  duty.  And  yet  its  losses  were  very  severe,  the  men  suffer 
ing  constantly  from  the  fire  of  artillery  or  the  deadly  rifles  of  the  sharpshooters 
who  filled  the  houses  near  their  line.  The  One  hundred  and  thirty-sixth  New 
York,  Colonel  James  Wood,  Jr.,  of  this  brigade,  lost  108  men  killed  or 
wounded,  nearly  all  of  them  hit  by  the  sharpshooters  with  whom  they  were 
constantly  engaged.  The  regiment  was  posted  behind  a  stone  wall  on  the 
Taneytown  Road,  its  left  company  connecting  with  the  right  of  the  Second 
Corps. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  the  Union  cavalry  held  the  ground  on 
the  right  and  left  flanks  of  the  army,  where  they  also  were  engaged  in  some 
severe  fighting,  the  action  on  the  right  being  confined  to  mounted  troops  of 
each  army  with  no  infantry  whatever  present  on  that  part  of  the  field.  These 
contests  were  distinct,  isolated  affairs ;  but  they  had  a  relation  to  the  general 
movements  on  the  main  battlefield,  and,  to  some  extent,  an  influence. 

While  the  great  struggle  was  being  waged  for  the  possession  of  Cemetery 
Ridge  a  battle  between  parts  of  the  cavalry  corps  of  both  armies  occurred  on 
the  Rummel  Farm,  situated  three  miles  east  of  Gettysburg,  between  the  York 
and  Hanover  roads.  This  field  is  on  an  elevated  plateau,  with  a  commanding 
view  of  Gettysburg  and  the  battlefield. 

The  mounted  troops  of  Gregg  and  Stuart  were  guarding,  respectively,  the 
right  and  left  flanks  of  the  two  great  armies.  Stuart,  the  famous  cavalry  leader 
of  the  Confederacy,  had  with  him  the  four  brigades  of  Hampton,  Jenkins,  Fitz 
Hugh  Lee,  and  W.  F.  H.  Lee,  numbering  in  all  about  6,000  men.  Gregg's  force 
was  composed  of  three  brigades, —  Mclntosh's  and  Irvin  Gregg's,  of  his  own 
division,  and  Custer's  Michigan  Brigade  of  Kilpatrick's  Division,  the  three  num 
bering  about  5,000  sabres.  While  Stuart  had  a  preponderance  in  numbers,  his 
men  and  horses  were  weakened  by  the  exhaustion  consequent  upon  his  long 
raid,  and  his  troops  were  to  some  extent  inferior  in  arms  and  equipments.  While 
Custer's  Brigade  was  armed  with  breech-loading  carbines,  Jenkins'  men  carried 
long  infantry  rifles,  and,  through  some  blunder,  entered  this  fight  with  only 
ten  rounds  of  ammunition  per  man.  But  Irvin  Gregg's  Brigade  was  held  in 
reserve  to  protect  communication  with  General  Meade's  right,  and  hence  Stuart's 
four  brigades  had  to  contend  with  only  the  two  brigades  of  Mclntosh  and 
Ctister,  numbering  about  3,500  in  all.  Stuart  brought  seven  pieces  of  horse 
artillery  into  action,  while  Gregg  used  ten  of  the  guns  attached  to  his  command. 
Acting  under  Lee's  orders,  Stuart  occupied  this  ground  in  order  to  secure  the 
left  of  Ewell's  Corps.  At  the  same  time  the  position  was  an  advantageous  one 
from  which  to  strike  Meade's  flank  and  rear  in  case  the  Union  army  was  de- 


84  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

feated  and  obliged  to  retreat.  To  guard  against  the  latter  contingency  Irvin 
Gregg's  Brigade  was  posted  so  as  to  connect  with  the  Union  infantry  on  Wolf 
Hill  while  the  remaining  force  confronted  Stuart,  whose  presence  became  evi 
dent  through  the  failure  of  Hampton  and  Fitzhugh  Lee  to  conceal  their  line  of 
march. 

The  ground  on  which  this  battle  occurred  was  favorable  for  cavalry  righting. 
The  fields  were  level,  or  slightly  rolling,  and  free  from  woods,  but  crossed  at 
frequent  intervals  by  fences.  The  brigades  of  Fitz  Lee  and  Hampton  reached 
the  field  about  n  o'clock,  at  which  time  their  artillery  opened  fire  on  Custer's 
position  on  the  Hanover  Road;  but  it  was  2  o'clock  before  the  forces  were 
seriously  engaged. 

Part  of  the  fighting  was  done  dismounted,  Jenkins'  Brigade  thus  serving  as 
infantry,  their  Enfield  rifles  being  very  serviceable  in  this  work.  But  much  ot 
the  fighting  was  done  mounted,  during  which  brilliant  dashes  were  made  by 
regiments  from  each  side.  There  were  many  hand-to-hand  contests  and 
mounted  charges  in  which  the  sabres  were  used  freely,  General  Wade  Hampton 
receiving  a  serious  wound  in  the  head  from  a  sword  cut. 

During  the  course  of  the  battle  a  spirited  charge  was  made  by  two  regiments 
of  Chambliss'  (W.  H.  F.  Lee's)  Brigade,  which  had  a  successful  encounter  with 
the  Seventh  Michigan.  Reinforcements  were  added  on  each  side  until  the  en 
gagement  became  general,  the  artillery  taking  an  active  part.  In  order  to 
support  the  attack  made  by  Chambliss,  the  Confederate  brigades  of  Hampton 
and  Fitz  Lee  moved  forward.  Charging  in  close  column  by  squadrons,  their 
advance  was  one  of  the  finest  cavalry  displays  of  the  war.  There  was  a  long 
array  of  well-aligned  horses  in  whose  saddles  rode  Stuart's  veteran  troopers 
with  firm  seats  and  steady  reins,  while  along  the  whole  front  their  sabres  gleamed 
and  flashed  in  the  sunlight.  As  the  Confederate  columns  moved  rapidly  for 
ward  Pennington's  and  Randol's  batteries  opened  on  them,  first  with  shell  and 
then  with  canister,  but  without  retarding  their  advance.  They  swept  forward, 
flushed  with  success,  nearly  to  the  batteries,  and  the  Union  forces  were  almost 
driven  from  the  field.  The  Confederate  cavalry  had  well-nigh  achieved  a  signal 
victory. 

This  charge  was  met  by  a  counter  one  led  by  the  First  Michigan  Cavalry 
with  Custer  riding  at  its  head,  while  Mclntosh  with  the  Third  Pennsylvania  and 
other  detachments  struck  the  advancing  forces  on  their  flank.  As  the  swiftly 
moving  columns  encountered  each  other  there  was  a  resounding  crash  in  which 
scores  of  horses  went  down,  falling  upon  and  crushing  their  riders.  There  was 
a  clash  of  sabres  and  rattle  of  carbines  and  revolvers,  mingled  with  the  hoarse 
cries  and  imprecations  of  the  contestants,  and  then  the  Confederates,  yielding 
slowly,  retreated  past  the  Rummel  Farm  buildings  to  the  woods  from  where 
they  had  started  on  their  charge. 

On  the  Union  side  the  First  New  Jersey,  Third  Pennsylvania,  and  First 
Michigan  were  conspicuous  for  the  dash  and  gallantry  with  which  they  success 
fully  charged  the  opposing  lines,  while  the  severest  loss  was  sustained  by  the 
Seventh  Michigan.  The  Fifth  Michigan,  Col.  Russell  A.  Alger,  fought'  dis 
mounted,  and  from  their  position  on  the  left  delivered  a  rapid  and  effective  car- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  g- 

bine  fire.  On  the  Confederate  side,  the  First  Virginia,  First  North  Carolina, 
and  Jeff  Davis  Legion  achieved  special  distinction  in  the  official  reports.  For 
three  hours  there  was  a  series  of  charges  and  counter  charges,  neither  side  gain 
ing  any  decided  advantage.  At  5  o'clock  each  abandoned  offensive  operations; 
but  the  Union  cavalry  held  the  farm  buildings,  for  the  possession  of  which  much 
of  the  fighting  had  been  done.  At  evening  Stuart  withdrew  to  the  York  Road. 

In  this  cavalry  battle  of  July  3d  on  the  Union  right,  Gregg  lost  30  killed,  150 
wounded,  and  75  captured  or  missing;  total,  255.  Of  these  casualties  219 
occurred  in  Custer's  Michigan  Brigade.  Stuart  reported  his  loss  as  24  killed, 
99  wounded,  and  58  captured  or  missing;  total,  181.  But  this  does  not  include 
the  loss  in  Jenkins'  Brigade,  for  which  no  casualty  return  was  made  and  which, 
according  to  Stuart's  report,  sustained  some  losses. 

The  Tenth  New  York  Cavalry,  Maj.  M.  H.  Avery,  was  in  Irvin  Gregg's 
Brigade,  and  hence  was  in  reserve  during  this  battle  on  the  3d.  It  was  act 
ively  engaged  on  the  previous  day  in  the  affair  with  Walker's  "  Stonewall  " 
Brigade,  of  Johnson's  Division;  and  on  the  evening  of  the  3d  it  took  an 
advanced  position,  where  it  encountered  an  artillery  fire  by  which  several 
were  killed  or  wounded.  The  Tenth  had  an  especial  interest  in  the  battle 
at  Gettysburg,  for  the  regiment  was  stationed  in  the  town  for  several  months 
in  1862. 

General  Ruger,  who  commanded  a  division  in  the  Twelfth  Corps,  on  learn 
ing  that  Gregg  was  heavily  pressed,  sent  the  One  hundred  and  seventh  New 
York  and  two  other  infantry  regiments  of  his  division  to  Gregg's  assistance. 
But  this  reinforcement  did  not  arrive  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle,  and, 
so,  after  bivouacking  on  the  field,  these  troops  returned  to  Gulp's  Hill  the 
next  morning. 

The  Second  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Division,  to  which  the  Second  and  Fourth 
New  York  Cavalry  belonged,  was  stationed  at  Westminster,  Md.,  during  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  hence  these  fine  regiments  did  not  participate  in  any 
of  the  fighting. 

On  the  morning  of  July  3d,  Kilpatrick's  Division  of  cavalry  was  at  Two 
Taverns,  having  marched  there  during  the  night  after  its  fight  with 
Hampton's  cavalry  at  Hunterstown  on  the  evening  of  the  2d.  Leaving 
Two  Taverns  about  9  a.  m.  Kilpatrick  moved  in  rear  of  Meade's  army 
to  the  extreme  left  of  the  Union  line,  taking  with  him  Farnsworth's 
Brigade,  but  leaving  his  other  brigade  —  Custer's  —  which  had  been  ordered 
to  report  to  General  Gregg.  Farnsworth  reached  the  position  assigned 
to  him  about  I  o'clock,  and  immediately  attacked  the  videttes  and  skir 
mishers  who  held  the  rear  and  right  of  the  enemy's  line.  At  3  p.  m. 
Kilpatrick  was  joined  by  Merritt's  Brigade  of  United  States  cavalry,  of  Bu- 
ford's  Division,  which,  arriving  from  Emmitsburg,  came  in  on  Farnsworth's 
left,  and  pushing  northward  along  the  Emmitsburg  Road  drove  the  Confederate 
skirmishers  back  a  half  mile  or  more. 

General  Law,  then  in  command  of  Hood's  Division,  met  this  attack  suc 
cessfully  by  deploying  Anderson's  Georgia  Brigade  in  a  thin  line  extending 
west  from  the  base  of  Big  Round  Top  to  and  across  the  road.  The  First 
Texas,  of  Robertson's  Brigade,  was  deployed,  also,  as  skirmishers.  As  Mer- 


86  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

ritt's  troopers  fought  dismounted  most  of  the  time,  the  action  on  his  front 
assumed  the  nature  of  an  infantry  affair. 

Both  Kilpatrick  and  Merritt  were  under  orders  to  attack  the  enemy's  right 
and  rear,  and  annoy  him;  also,  to  protect  Meade's  flank  and  prevent  it  from 
being  turned.  Each  brigade  was  accompanied  by  a  battery  of  horse  artillery. 
At  5  o'clock  —  after  Longstreet's  assault  had  been  repulsed  —  Kilpatrick 
ordered  an  attack  by  both  brigades,  the  regulars  to  fight  dismounted,  while 
two  of  Farnsworth's  regiments  —  the  First  Vermont  and  First  West  Virginia  — 
were  to  charge  mounted.  The  First  Vermont,  riding  with  drawn  sabres, 
broke  through  the  enemy's  line,  and  after  making  a  rapid  circuit  of  over  a 
mile  inside  the  Confederate  position,  running  a  gauntlet  the  entire  distance 
past  infantry  and  artillery,  returned  to  the  starting  point.  The  ground  over 
which  this  little  regiment  rode  was  not  adapted  to  a  cavalry  charge,  being 
hilly,  uneven,  covered  with  huge  rocks  and  patches  of  timber,  and  intersected 
by  stone  walls  and  high  fences.  The  First  Vermont  suffered  severely  in  this 
affair,  but  accomplished  little  or  nothing  aside  from  adding  to  its  renown. 
Farnsworth,  who  protested  against  the  order  and  declined  to  assume  any  re 
sponsibility  for  such  a  hopeless  undertaking,  rode  at  the  head  of  the  First  Ver 
mont  and  was  killed  while  charging  through  the  Fifteenth  Alabama  of  Law's 
Brigade.  Fie  was  the  only  Union  general  killed  within  the  enemy's  lines.* 

The  Fifth  New  York  Cavalry,  Maj.  John  Hammond  commanding,  belong 
ing  to  Farnsworth's  Brigade,  had  distinguished  itself  three  days  before  in  a 
hot  fight  with  some  of  Stuart's  cavalry  in  the  streets  of  Hanover,  Pa.  It  par 
ticipated  also  in  this  affair  of  Kilpatrick's,  July  3d,  on  the  Union  left  flank. 
Arriving  on  the  field,  south  of  Round  Top,  the  regiment  took  position  in  sup 
port  of  Elder's  United  States  Battery  of  horse  artillery.  Subsequently,  it  made 
a  charge  on  a  piece  of  artillery  that  had  become  very  annoying,  but  the  gun 
was  retired  before  it  could  be  captured,  whereupon  the  Fifth  fell  back  to  its 
position,  where  the  men  stood  to  horse  during  the  remainder  of  the  fight. 

One  regiment  of  Merritt's  Brigade  —  the  Sixth  United  States  Cavalry  —  was 
detached  during  the  day  and  sent  in  the  direction  of  Fairfield  to  capture  a  wagon 
train  which  was  moving  in  the  rear  of  Lee's  right  flank.  But  the  Sixth  en 
countered  two  Virginia  regiments  of  Jones'  Cavalry  Brigade,  and  was  driven 

*  Some  Confederate  officers  who  were  present  at  this  affair  have  stated  that  General 
Farnsworth,  while  lying  on  the  ground,  wounded  and  helpless,  refused  to  surrender,  and 
then,  placing  his  revolver  to  his  head,  blew  out  his  brains.  This  story,  evidently  told 
in  good  faith,  has  been  widely  circulated  and  believed.  But  the  two  Union  surgeons, 
who  examii  ed  Farnsworth's  body  soon  after  his  death,  state  positively  that  there  were 
no  wounds  in  his  head;  and  that  there  were  four  wounds  in  his  body,  none  of  which 
could  have  been  self-inflicted. 

In  explanation  of  these  conflicting  statements  it  is  alleged  by  some  who  witnessed 
the  occurrence  that  the  Confederates  were  mistaken  as  -to  Farnsworth's  identity.  An 
officer  who  rode  with  Farnsworth,  and  whose  conspicuous  dress  caused  him  to  be  mis 
taken  by  many  for  the  general,  fell  from  his  horse,  shot  through  the  face,  and  while 
lying  on  the  ground  handled  his  revolver  until  he  fainted. 

The  Confederate  officer  —  Col.  Wm.  C.  Gates  —  who  cut  the  star  off  from  Farns 
worth's  coat  and  identified  him  by  papers  taken  from  the  general's  pocket,  does  not  claim 
to  have  seen  the  alleged  suicidal  act.  (See  General  Dates'  account.  So.  Hist.  Papers, 
vol.  V,  p.  182.) 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  87 

off  with  a  loss  of  34  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  208  captured.  There  was 
some  close  fighting  done,  however.  The  official  report  describes  a  Con 
federate  lieutenant  as  "  running  his  sabre  entirely  through  an  opponent  and 
twisting  him  from  his  horse." 

While  Kilpatrick,  with  his  two  brigades,  was  pressing  the  right  of  Hood's 
Division  at  Round  Top,  McCandless'  Brigade,  of  Crawford's  Division,  Fifth 
Corps,  was  also  preparing  to  attack  Hood  and  McLaws.  General  Meade,  after 
witnessing  the  repulse  of  Longstreet's  assault  and  the  subsequent  failure  of 
Lang  and  Wilcox,  rode  to  the  left  of  his  line  and  gave  some  orders  for  offensive 
operations  on  that  part  of  the  field.  At  5  o'clock,  Sykes,  pursuant  to  his  orders, 
directed  Crawford  to  advance  McCandless'  Brigade,  of  the  Pennsylvania  Re 
serves,  and  clear  out  the  opposite  woods  around  the  Devil's  Den  and  the  Wheat- 
field.  This  brigade  was  holding  the  ground  which  it  had  retaken  from  the 
enemy  the  previous  evening,  and  was  in  position  on  the  farther  side  of  Plum 
Run,  near  the  Wheatfield,  its  line  stretching  across  the  road  leading  to  the 
Peach  Orchard.  General  Sedgwick,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  ordered  two  of  his 
brigades  forward  to  support  McCandless,  sending  Bartlett's  and  Wheaton's, 
both  under  command  of  General  Bartlett. 

McCandless  moved  forward  about  5  130  p.  m.,  with  his  four  regiments  formed 
in  a  single  line,  and  preceded  by  the  Eleventh  Reserves,  deployed  as  skir 
mishers.  Wheaton's  Brigade,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  under  command  of  Colonel 
Nevin,  of  the  Sixty-second  New  York,  formed  a  second  line  200  yards  in  the 
rear.  Bartlett's  Brigade  moved  out  from  its  position  on  the  north  slope  of 
Little  Round  Top  and  occupied  the  ground  vacated  by  McCandless,  where  it 
remained  in  reserve.  The  One  hundred  and  twenty-first  New  York,  Col. 
Emory  Upton,  a  remarkably  fine  regiment,  which  had  distinguished  itself  in 
the  previous  battle  at  Salem  Church,  held  the  left  of  Bartlett's  Brigade,  near 
the  Wheatfield. 

McCandless'  line  dashed  across  the  Wheatfield  and  into  the  woods  beyond, 
driving  the  enemy  before  him.  Having  cleared  the  woods  in  front,  this  brigade 
changed  direction  to  the  left  and  attacked  the  flank  of  Benning's  Georgia  Bri 
gade^  routing  the  left  regiment  of  that  command  and  capturing  over  100  pris 
oners,  together  with  a  stand  of  colors.  The  Sixty-second  New  York,  of  Nevin's 
Brigade,  took  an  active  part  in  pressing  another  body  of  retreating  troops  from 
which  it  captured  many  prisoners.  The  Confederates  fell  back  to  their  line  on 
Seminary  Ridge. 

McCandless  pushed  on  to  the  edge  of  the  woods  on  the  high  ground  near 
the  Rose  Farm,  while  Nevin's  right  regiment  advanced  nearly  to  the  Peach 
Orchard.  By  this  advance  most  of  the  ground  lost  the  previous  day  was  re 
taken,  together  with  all  the  wounded  which  were  lying  on  the  field. 

But  McCandless  and  Nevin  could  not  alone  have  regained  this  portion  oi 
the  field  had  it  not  been  that  Law  and  McLaws  were  already  withdrawing  their 
divisions  to  the  ridge  near  the  Emmitsburg  Road  when  this  attack  was  made. 
The  movements  of  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  on  the  Confederate  right  made  the 
advanced  position  of  Hood's  Division  dangerous  and  untenable,  and  so  Gen 
eral  Law,  its  commander,  received  orders  to  fall  back  to  the  position  from 
which  the  division  advanced  on  the  2d.  McLaws'  Division  had  already  retired 
when  Benning  received  word  to  withdraw.  But  Benning  misunderstood  the 
order.  Unwittingly  he  allowed  the  Fifteenth  Georgia  to  move  off  in  the  direc 
tion  of  McCandless,  and  in  the  encounter  which  followed  this  regiment  suffered 


88  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

severely,  losing  over  100  prisoners  and  leaving  its  killed  and  wounded  on  the 
ground. 

The  ease  with  which  McCandless  and  Nevin  gained  ground,  together  with 
the  absence  of  any  organized  resistance,  gave  ample  evidence  of  the  favorable 
opportunity  for  an  offensive  movement  in  force  by  the  troops  on  the  Union  left 
General  Meade  contemplated  some  such  movement,  for  which  over  three  hours 
of  daylight  yet  remained.*  But  no  general  advance  was  ordered.  There  was 
great  delay.  The  time  was  consumed  with  minor  preparations  and  unimportant 
details.  Darkness  at  length  came  on.  The  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  over. 

On  the  next  day,  Saturday,  July  4th,  both  armies  remained  quietly  within 
their  lines.  The  Confederates  contracted  their  line  and  intrenched  their  posi 
tion  strongly  throughout  its  entire  length.  In  each  army  there  was  an  ignorance 
of  the  condition  and  strength  of  its  opponent ;  each  awaited  with  apprehension 
a  further  attack.  But  while  all  was  quiet  along  the  front,  there  was  a  sad  activity 
at  the  hospitals  in  the  rear.  The  many  thousands  of  wounded  required  prompt 
attention,  and  the  surgeons  exerted  themselves  in  this  work  to  the  utmost  point 
of  endurance,  taking  little  or  no  sleep,  and  scarcely  stopping  to  eat.  The  ambu 
lance  corps,  with  its  stretcher-bearers,  improved  the  opportunity  to  gather  up 
the  wounded,  who  still  lay  uncared  for  in  great  numbers  on  all  parts  of  the  field. 

During  the  night  of  the  3d,  Ewell  withdrew  his  entire  corps  to  Seminary 
Ridge,  where  he  formed  line  on  either  side  of  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  his  troops 
evacuating  the  town  also.  At  daybreak  on  the  4th,  detachments  of  the  Fifty- 
eighth  New  York,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Otto  commanding,  a  regiment  belonging 
to  Schurz's  Division,  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  entered  Gettysburg  and  captured 
over  280  prisoners,  including  several  officers.  Many  of  these  captured  men 
were  videttes  and  sharpshooters,  who  occupied  houses  near  the  outposts,  and 
having  fallen  asleep  during  the  night  were  overlooked  by  the  Confederates 
when  their  troops  were  withdrawn  from  the  town.  The  houses  containing 
these  prisoners  were  pointed  out  to  the  Union  soldiers  by  the  citizens. 

Later  in  the  day,  at  8  a.  m.,  Colonel  Krzyzanowski,  of  the  same  division, 
taking  the  One  hundred  and  nineteenth  New  York  and  Twenty-sixth  Wiscon 
sin  of  his  brigade,  passed  through  the  town  on  a  reconnoissance,  extending 
about  two  miles  to  the  east,  in  which  he  captured  forty-seven  more  prisoners, 
but  returned  without  finding  any  force  of  the  enemy. 

During  the  morning  General  Slocum,  also,  taking  Ruger's  Brigade  of  the 
Twelfth  Corps  with  him,  moved  around  the  right  of  the  army  to  the  Hanover 
Road,  and  thence  into  and  through  the  town,  after  which  these  troops  returned 
to  their  former  position  at  Gulp's  Hill.  The  town,  around  which  there  had 
been  so  much  hard  fighting,  remained  during  the  4th  unoccupied  by  the  troop 
of  either  army. 

Very  little  damage  was  done  to  the  town,  and  only  one  of  the  people  was 
killed  during  the  battle.  Miss  Jennie  Wade,  a  young  lady  living  in  a  house 
on  Baltimore  street,  near  the  outposts  at  Cemetery  Hill,  was  killed  by  a  stra\ 
bullet  which  entered  the  house  while  she  was  busily  engaged  in  baking  bread 

* "  As  soon  as  the  assault  was  repulsed,  I  went  immediately  to  the  extreme  left  of 
my  line,  with  the  determination  of  advancing  the  left  and  making  an  assault  upon  the 
enemy's  lines.  So  soon  as  I  arrived  at  the  left  I  gave  the  necessary  orders  for  the 
pickets  and  skirmishers  in  front  to  be  thrown  forward  to  feel  the  enemy,  and  for  all 
preparations  to  be  made  for  the  assault."  [Gen.  Meade's  testimony  before  the  Commit 
tee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War.] 


MEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  89 

for  the  soldiers.  The  'houses  were  not  injured  to  any  extent,  although  a  few 
of  them  were  struck  by  shells.  In  the  outskirts  there  were  fences  which  were 
riddled,  and  brick  houses  with  walls  thickly  pitted  with  bullet  marks.  Nearly 
all  of  the  citizens  remained  with  their  families  in  the  town  during  the  battle. 
By  the  sudden  termination  of  the  first  day's  fight,  the  people  found  them 
selves  hemmed  in  between  both  armies,  whose  pickets  would  not  allow  civilians 
to  enter  or  leave  the  place.  During  the  cannonading  and  street  fighting  the 
people  remained  indoors,  most  of  them  seeking  safety  in  their  cellars.  The 
public  buildings,  schoolhouses,  and  churches  were  converted  into  hospitals, 
in  addition  to  which  many  private  houses  sheltered  wounded  men  who  sought 
refuge  within  their  doors. 

The  Confederate  troops  occupying  the  town  were  forbidden  by  their  officers 
to  enter  the  houses  or  molest  the  citizens,  although  some  houses  near  the  out 
posts  were  occupied  by  sharpshooters  as  a  military  necessity.  The  Southern 
ers  were  talkative  and  evinced  an  inclination  to  converse  with  the  citizens  at 
every  opportunity.  They  were  elated  and  boastful  over  their  success  on  the 
first  day,  and  were  confident  that  they  would  win  a  victory  at  Gettysburg  that 
would  end  the  war  in  their  favor.  The  citizens,  who  were  cut  off  from  all 
tidings  of  the  Union  army,  listened  to  this  talk  with  anxiety  and  depression. 
But  as  the  battle  progressed  they  read  each  day  the  story  of  better  news  in  the 
troubled  faces  and  altered  tone  of  their  gray-clad  guardians. 

The  citizens,  as  was  right  and  proper,  took  no  active  part  in  the  fighting. 
A  company  of  emergency  men  had  already  been  enlisted  and  organized  in  the 
town  a  few  days  before,  upon  hearing  the  first  news  of  the  invasion.  This 
company  joined  the  Twenty-sixth  Pennsylvania  Militia,  and  was  engaged  in 
a  minor  affair  with  General  Early's  advance,  which  occurred  near  the  town 
on  June  26th. 

One  citizen,  however,  took  part  in  the  first  day's  battle  without  waiting  for 
the  formality  of  an  enlistment  or  a  uniform.  John  Burns,  a  man  over  seventy, 
after  assisting  General  Reynolds  as  a  guide  through  the  town,  procured  a  rifle 
and  some  cartridges,  and  fought  in  the  ranks  of  the  First  Corps,  receiving 
three  wounds  in  the  course  of  his  fighting. 

While  the  First  Corps  was  halted  at  Marsh  Creek  on  the  morning  of  the  ist, 
a  lad  named  C.  F.  Weakley,  about  sixteen  years  old  and  a  resident  of  Emrnits- 
burg,  expressed  an  ardent  desire  to  join  the  Twelfth  Massachusetts,  whereupon 
he  was  uniformed  and  equipped,  but  not  mustered.  In  the  fighting  which 
ensued  a  few  hours  later  the  boy  was  severely  wounded  and  sent  to  a  hospital. 
He  was  subsequently  mustered  into  a  Maryland  regiment  and  died  in  the  service. 

But  in  addition  to  the  militia  company  organized  in  Gettysburg  for  the 
emergency,  there  was  a  company  in  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves  which  was  re 
cruited  in  this  town  and  which  was  fighting  in  this  battle  in  sight  of  their 
homes.  In  other  regiments,  also,  there  were  many  who  enlisted  from  this 
place.  When  General  Gregg  approached  Gettysburg  with  his  division  of 
cavalry,  he  found  a  willing  and  competent  guide  in  Surgeon  Tate,  of  the  Third 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  who  was  a  citizen  of  the  town. 

It  was  evident,  on  the  morning  of  July  4th,  that  the  Confederates  had  with 
drawn  to  the  line  of  Seminary  Ridge,  and  were  awaiting  an  attack  there  within 


9o 


I\'EW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


a  shorter,  more  compact,  and  well  intrenched  line.  But  at  noon  heavy  showers 
commenced,  the  rain  falling  in  torrents,  which  soon  reduced  the  fields  and 
roads  to  a  state  that  made  artillery  manoeuvres  impossible  that  day.  The  storm 
continued  during  the  night. 

During  the  afternoon  General  Lee  gave  orders  for  a  retreat,  and  before  even 
ing  the  long  wagon  trains,  many  of  them  filled  with  the  spoils  gathered  during 
the  invasion,  started  towards  the  Potomac  by  the  F'airfield  and  Cashtown  roads. 
They  were  guarded  by  Imboden's  Cavalry  Brigade  which  had  not  been  engaged 
in  the  battle,  having  arrived  on  the  field  at  noon  of  the  3d.  Several  thousand 
of  the  Confederate  wounded,  including  all  who  could  endure  the  journey,  were 
carried  in  the  empty  wagons  or  ambulances,  while  many  of  them  walked  beside 
the  train.  The  line  of  teams  and  wagons  was  seventeen  miles  in  length. 
Imboden  hurried  them  along  regardless  of  the  storm  during  all  the  night  of  the 
4th  and  part  of  the  next  day,  the  trains  arriving  at  Williamsport  on  the  after 
noon  of  the  5th,  but  were  unable  to  cross  the  Potomac  on  account  of  the  rains 
which  had  swollen  the  river  to  an  unusual  height. 

While  on  their  way  to  the  Potomac  the  Confederate  trains  were  severely 
harassed  by  the  Union  cavalry.  On  the  morning  of  the  4th  Kilpatrick's  Division 
moved  to  Emmitsburg  —  where  it  was  joined  by  Huey's  Brigade  of  Gregg's 
Division  —  Kilpatrick  being  under  orders  to  operate  on  the  enemy's  rear  and 
flanks.  Leaving  Emmitsburg  at  3  p.  m.  on  the  4th,  this  column  of  mounted 
troops  moved  to  Monterey  Gap,  arriving  there  in  the  night  and  while  the  \vagon 
train  of  Swell's  Corps  was  passing  on  the  Fairfield  Road.  In  the  fighting  that 
followed  a  large  portion  of  this  train  was  captured  or  destroyed,  and  several 
hundred  of  the  teamsters  and  train  guards  were  made  prisoners. 

During  the  night  of  the  4th,  after  the  wagon  trains  and  ambulances  were  well 
on  their  way,  Lee  withdrew  his  entire  army  from  Gettysburg  unmolested, 
under  cover  of  the  darkness,  and,  marching  by  the  Fairfield  and  Cashtown 
roads,  arrived  at  Williamsport  on  the  Potomac  during  the  afternoon  of  the 
6th  and  morning  of  the  7th.  Here  he  was  delayed  a  week  by  the  flood  in  the 
river,  but  on  the  I4th  his  army  recrossed  the  Potomac  in  safety  and  wended  its 
way  across  the  Blue  Ridge.  Ten  months  elapsed  before  the  two  armies  met 
again  in  a  general  engagement. 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th  General  Meade  called  another  council  of  war  to 
which  several  propositions  were  submitted.  The  corps  commanders  present 
voted  unanimously  against  any  attack  on  the  following  day,  or  movement  for 
turning  the  enemy's  flank.  But  in  the  morning  the  enemy  had  disappeared 
from  their  front. 

Pursuit  was  commenced  by  the  cavalry  on  the  5th,  the  infantry  moving 
soon  after.  But  the  pursuit  could  not  be  called  a  rapid  or  a  vigorous  one. 
Instead  of  following  Lee  by  the  roads  on  which  he  retreated,  Meade  moved 
his  army  by  Emmitsburg,  Frederick,  Middletown,  the  South  Mountain  passes, 
and  Boonsborough,  a  longer  and  circuitous  route."  He  did  not  arrive  within 
striking  distance  of  his  adversary  until  the  nth,  thereby  allowing  Lee  four  days 
in  which  to  select  a  defensive  line  and  fortify  it.  Another  council  of  war,  on 
the  I2th,  decided  that  it  was  not  advisable  to  attack,  as  Lee  had  intrenched 
himself  in  a  strong  position.  After  some  further  delay  General  Meade  gave 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  gi 

orders  for  an  assault  on  the  morning  of  the  I4th;  but  the  river  having  fallen 
sufficiently  in  the  meantime,  General  Lee  had  succeeded  in  laying  his  pontoons, 
and  effected  a  crossing  with  his  entire  army. 

The  Union  losses  in  the  three  days'  fighting  at  Gettysburg  aggregated  3,155 
killed,  14,529  wounded,  and  5,365  captured  or  missing;  total,  23,049.  The  loss 
in  officers  was  severe,  246  having  been  killed  and  1,145  wounded.  Of  the  latter 
93  died  of  their  wounds.  Generals  Reynolds,  Weed,  Zook,  Vincent  and  Farns- 
worth  were  killed.  Generals  Hancock,  Sickles,  Gibbon,  Barlow,  Butterfield, 
Warren,  Paul,  Graham  and  Webb  were  wounded.  Many  of  the  colonels  who 
commanded  brigades  and  exercised  the  powers  of  a  general  were  also  killed  or 
wounded. 

The  principal  part  of  the  losses  occurred  in  the  battle  of  the  second  day. 
Of  the  killed  and  wounded  60  per  cent,  fell  during  the  fighting  of  July  2d; 
or,  including  the  captured  and  missing,  50  per  cent,  of  the  total  casualties. 
An  examination  of  the  casualty  returns  of  each  regiment  in  connection  with  their 
official  reports  indicates  that  the  losses  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  for  each  day 
at  Gettysburg  were  approximately  as  follows: 


Killed. 

Wounded. 

Missing. 

Total. 

First  Day  

847 

•3  080 

3,566 

8,402 

Second  Day  

1,825 

8,528 

1,277 

11,630 

Third  Day  

483 

2,012 

522 

3,017 

Total  

3,155 

14,529 

5.365 

23,049 

The  losses  in  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  amounted  to  2,592  killed, 
12,709  wounded,  and  5,150  captured  or  missing;  total,  20,451.  Generals  Pen- 
der,  Barksdale,  Semmes,  Garnett,  and  Armistead  were  killed ;  and  Generals 
Hood,  Heth,  Trimble,  Kemper,  G.  T.  Anderson,  Jones,  Scales,  Jenkins,  and 
Hampton  were  wounded. 

But  the  Confederate  casualty  lists  did  not  include  their  slightly  wounded. 
General  Lee  issued  an  order,  May  14,  1863,  that  the  casualty  reports  should  in 
clude  only  "  those  whose  injuries,  in  the  opinion  of  medical  officers,  rendered 
them  unfit  for  duty."  That  these  instructions  were  observed  is  evident  from 
some  of  the  Confederate  official  reports  at  Gettysburg  in  which  wounded  men 
were  omitted  because  they  were  expected  to  return  to  duty  in  "  a  week  or  ten 
days."  One  report  states  that  "  the  wounded  includes  only  those  disabled  in 
definitely."  Now,  this  same  class  —  the  slightly  wounded  —  were  included  in 
the  casualty  lists  of  the  Union  army,  and  embraced,  as  a  general  thing,  fully 
15  per  cent,  of  the  losses.  If  the  Confederate  returns  had  been  made  in  the 
same  manner  and  with  the  same  accuracy  in  other  respects,  the  loss  in  Lee's 
army  at  Gettysburg  would  appear  fully  as  great  as  that  of  Meade's  if  not  greater. 
Some  of  the  Confederate  brigade  returns  did  not  include  their  missing.  Of 
these,  Lane's,  Davis's,  Pettigrew's  and  Brockenbrough's  were  in  the  grand 
infantry  charge  on  the  third  day,  in  which  they  lost  not  only  in  prisoners,  but, 
also,  a  large  number  who  were  left  lying  on  the  field  and  whose  fate  must  have 


g2  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

been  in  doubt.  There  is  no  return  whatever  from  Jenkins'  Brigade,  although 
General  Stuart  states  that  it  sustained  losses.  It  should  be  remembered,  how 
ever,  that  in  abandoning  the  field,  the  Confederates  lost  the  opportunity  for  per 
fecting  their  casualty  returns,  many  of  their  killed  being  necessarily  included 
in  the  missing. 

In  both  armies  the  casualties  as  stated  include  the  mortally  wounded  with  the 
wounded,  and  the  number  returned  as  killed  embraces  only  those  who  were 
killed  or  died  on  the  field.  The  official  returns  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
show  3,155  killed.  But  the  muster-out  rolls  and  "final  statements"  of  the 
various  Union  regiments  at  Gettysburg  show  that  5,091*  of  their  number  were 
killed  or  mortally  wounded  on  that  field. 

The  Confederate  returns  indicate  that  2,592  were  killed  on  the  field;  but,  if  to 
this  number  be  added  their  mortally  wounded  who  died  in  Union  hospitals,  and 
their  wounded  who  died  during  the  retreat  to  Virginia,  and  those  of  the  missing 
who  were  killed,  the  number  of  Confederates  killed  will  equal  that  of  the 
Union  army.  Of  the  12,227  Confederates  captured,  July  i-5,  6,802  were 
wounded  men,  most  of  whom  were  wounded  so  severely  that  they  were  left 
behind  when  Lee  retreated.  Of  these  prisoners,  wounded  and  unwounded,  2,810 
died  in  Union  hospitals. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  captured  thirty-eight  flags  at  Gettysburg,  but  no 
artillery.t  The  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  captured  several  stands  of  colors 
during  the  fighting  on  the  first  and  second  days,  and  seven  pieces  of  artillery. 
The  number  of  prisoners  taken  on  each  side  was  about  the  same. 

In  this  battle,  the  greatest  of  the  war,  the  men  of  New  York  were  present 
everywhere.  There  were  New  York  troops  in  every  corps.  Of  the  brigades 
which  earned  distinction  by  efficient  and  gallant  services,  three  were  composed 
entirely  of  New  York  regiments.  The  blue  banners  of  the  Empire  State  waved 
amid  the  battle  smoke  on  every  portion  of  that  blood-stained  field. 

Of  the  85,600  Union  troops  that  fought  there,  New  York  furnished  over 
27,000;  of  the  5, 091* Union  men  who  lost  their  lives  at  Gettysburg,  1,501  fell 
beneath  the  colors  of  the  Empire  State;  and  of  the  23,049  casualties  in  the 
Union  army  at  that  battle,  6,816  occurred  in  New  York  regiments.  New  York 
was  at  Gettysburg. 


Tfie  mere  recounting  of  the  incidents  and  tactical  movements  of  a  battle  is  not 
enough.  The  deductions  and  conclusions  warranted  by  the  facts  yet  remain  to 
be  pointed  out.  The  student  who  neglects  this  part  of  his  lesson  has  wasted 
his  time  in  unprofitable  study. 

The  invasion  of  Pennsylvania  was  no  error  on  the  part  of  the  Confederate 
leaders,  except  as  it  may  be  viewed  in  the  light  of  subsequent  events.  The 

*"  Regimental  Losses  in  the  Civil  War."  Albany  Publishing  Co.    Albany.    1888. 

tGeneral  Pendleton,  the  Confederate  chief  of  artillery,  says  in  his  official  report: 
"  Besides  the  two  serviceable  guns  mentioned  as  lost  from  failure  of  teams  near  the 
Potomac,  the  enemy  got  three  of  our  disabled  pieces,  of  which  two  were  left  on  the  field 
as  worthless,  and  one  sent  to  the  rear  was  captured  by  his  cavalry,  with  a  few  wagons 
irom  the  train." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  93 

military  situation  in  Virginia,  when  it  was  undertaken,  demanded  some  such 
plan  of  operations.  Despite  Confederate  victories  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
still  clung  to  its  foothold  on  the  Rappahannock,  where  it  was  within  twelve  miles 
of  its  base  of  supplies,  and  from  where  in  case  of  defeat  it  could  safely  fall  back 
within  the  defences  of  Washington.  Moreover,  the  Union  commander  might  at 
any  time  transfer  his  base  of  operations  to  the  James  River.  It  was  necessary 
that  General  Lee  should  manoeuvre  the  Union  army  from  its  position  .vhere  it 
continually  threatened  Richmond.  Cut  off  from  the  Trans-Mississippi,  and  with 
every  seaport  blockaded,  the  condition  of  the  Confederate  commissariat  was  fast 
becoming  a  source  of  gravest  concern.  Inaction  was  fraught  with  as  dire  re 
sults  as  defeat.  By  moving  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  across  the  Potomac 
it  could  draw  its  forage  and  supplies  from  the  enemy's  country,  and  the  grain- 
producing  fields  of  Virginia  would  be  relieved  of  a  grievous  burden.  It  seemed 
necessary  to  transfer  the  theatre  of  war  to  a  Northern  State. 

The  plan  was  to  move  northward  through  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and,  if 
Hooker  did  not  attack  there,  to  cross  the  Potomac  and  await  the  chances  of 
battle  in  Maryland  or  Pennsylvania.  Flushed  with  their  recent  victories  the 
Confederates  were  confident  of  success,  wherever  the  encounter  might  occur. 
They  argued  that  a  victory  in  Pennsylvania  would  imperil  Washington,  secure 
their  long-sought  recognition  by  European  powers,  create  a  financial  panic  in 
the  North,  and  lead  to  a  treaty  of  peace.  The  history  of  the  campaign,  the 
victorious  sweep  through  the  valley,  the  wavering  fortunes  on  the  field  of 
Gettysburg,  show  that  these  were  no  idle,  unfounded  hopes. 

The  first  day  at  Gettysburg  was  a  Confederate  victory.  No  matter  if  it  was 
won  by  superior  numbers.  Most  victories  are  won  that  way.  Superior  num 
bers  often  mean  superior  generalship.  But  in  view  of  the  results  the  victory 
was  only  a  technical  one.  It  was  costly;  it  availed  nothing.  A  regimental 
skirmish  line,  though  driven  back,  counts  it  no  defeat  if  it  held  its  ground  until 
the  regiment  secures  a  proper  position.  Buford  and  Reynolds  were  not  striving 
for  individual  success.  They  did  not  expect  to  win  a  victory  in  the  usual  sense. 
They  were  fighting  to  check  the  Confederate  advance  until  the  Army  of  the 
Poromac  could  concentrate.  They  were  fighting  to  hold  Gettysburg,  a  place 
unimportant  in  itself,  but  valuable  as  a  strategical  point  on  account  of  the 
many  highways  converging  there. 

Nor  should  it  be  forgotten  that  a  good  part  of  the  Confederate  losses  occurred 
in  this  battle  of  the  first  day.  Doubleday's  Corps  inflicted  as  severe  losses  as 
it  received;  it  lost  in  prisoners,  but  it  made  large  captures  also.  If  the  Eleventh 
Corps  could  not  deal  equally  heavy  blows  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  corps 
came  on  the  field  at  a  time  when  there  was  no  chrv'cc  of  position.  It  went  into 
action  gallantly  and  without  hesitation  in  the  only  place  that  was  left.  It  had 
to  form  under  fire  as  it  arrived,  on  low  ground  that  was  commanded  by  the 
enemy  posted  in  strong  positions  on  front  and  flank.  Though  unable  to  inflict 
severe  losses,  the  Eleventh  Corps  retarded  the  advance  of  Early's  men,  who, 
otherwise,  would  have  imperiled  the  retreat  of  the  First  Corps. 

The  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  decided  on  the  second  clay.  After  that  the 
Confederate  attempts  to  prolong  the  struggle  were  hopeless  and  ill-planned. 
The  most  of  the  fighting,  also,  occurred  then,  the  losses  exceeding  the  com 
bined  casualties  of  the  two  other  days. 


94  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Although  General  Lee's  defeat  on  the  second  day  was  due  to  better  tactics, 
combined  with  equally  good  fighting,  on  the  part  of  his  opponents,  he  suffered 
from  a  most  remarkable  combination  of  untoward  circumstances.  Longstreet's 
delay  in  attacking  until  4  o'clock,  the  serious  misconception  as  to  the  real  posi 
tion  of  Sickles'  line,  the  loss  of  Little  Round  Top  "  by  five  minutes,"  the  failure 
to  support  Wright  when  he  pierced  the  Union  centre,  the  failure  of  the  Con 
federate  left  to  attack  simultaneously  with  Longstreet,  the  lack  of  co-operation 
between  Rodes  and  Early  in  the  assault  on  Cemetery  Hill,  Johnson's  failure  to 
seize  the  Baltimore  Pike,  pardonable  though  it  was, —  all  combined  to  forge  a 
chain  of  events  that  rendered  Confederate  success  a  hopeless  and  discouraging 
task.  Hitherto,  during  the  war,  these  elements  of  fortune  had  militated  largely 
against  the  Union  army ;  but  at  Gettysburg  they  gravitated  to  the  other  side  in 
obedience  to  the  law  of  chance  requiring  that,  sooner  or  later,  the  scale  must  turn. 

On  the  second  day  General  Lee  attempted  a  concealed  flank  movement 
similar  to  the  one  at  Chancellorsville  which  there  resulted  in  a  victory  for  the 
Confederate  arms.  That  he  should  hope  to  surprise  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
a  second  time  by  such  a  manoeuvre  seems  strange;  and,  yet,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  activity  of  Sickles  and  the  reconnoissance  made  by  some  of  his  troops, 
Longstreet  would  have  massed  17,000  men  in  the  woods  on  the  Union  flank 
without  their  presence  being  known.  Longstreet's  movement  was  a  surprise  to 
General  Meade,  although  information  regarding  it  had  been  sent  to  headquarters. 
Meade  paid  little  attention  to  his  left  until  he  found  that  it  was  attacked,  and 
then  he  expressed  surprise  at  the  position  of  the  Third  Corps. 

The  withdrawal  of  Buford's  cavalry  division  to  Westminster  is  one  of  the 
unexplained  incidents  of  this  battle.  That  a  division  should  be  withdrawn  "  to 
refit,"  that  it  should  be  ordered  thirty  miles  to  the  rear  at  the  very  moment  when 
the  enemy  was  forming  in  its  front  for  an  attack, —  cannot  well  escape  the  notice 
of  thoughtful  readers.  The  casualties  in  this  division  at  Gettysburg  aggre 
gated  127,  a  loss  which  would  hardly  warrant  withdrawal ;  and  it  had  suffered  no 
loss  whatever  in  equipment  or  horses.  It  was  not  needed  to  protect  Westmin 
ster  ;  for  Huey's  fine  brigade  of  cavalry  had  already  been  left  behind  at  that  place. 

Some  writers  have  created  the  impression  that  General  Sickles,  in  occupying 
his  position,  brought  on  the  battle  of  the  second  day,  or  precipitated  the  fight 
ing.  But  it  should  be  remembered  that  General  Lee's  order  to  attack  the  Union 
left  was  issued  early  in  the  morning ;  and  that  Longstreet  was  massing  his  forces 
for  this  attack  before  the  Third  Corps  had  taken  its  position ;  and,  that  pursuant 
to  Lee's  order  the  Confederates  would  have  attacked  the  Union  left  in  any  case. 
Instead  of  inviting  or  precipitating  the  Confederate  assault,  Sickles'  movements 
delayed  it. 

There  has  been  some  discussion,  also,  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  the  line 
on  which  the  Third  Corps  fought  and  the  one  contemplated  by  General  Meade. 
But  that  is  not  the  real  point  involved.  The  question  is,  which  was  the 
better  under  the  circumstances?  Had  General  Meade  retained  Buford's 
Division  on  his  flank,  and  sent  troops  to  occupy  the  Round  Tops  in  the 
morning,  Sickles  would  not  have  felt  constrained  to  change  his  position. 
His  flank  would  have  been  properly  protected. 

When  Geary  was  withdrawn  at  daybreak  from  Little  Round  Top,  some 
other  division  should  have  been  sent  to  take  his  place.  The  Third  Corps 
could  not  connect  with  Hancock  and,  at  the  same,  time,  include  the  summits 
of  the  Round  Tops  in  its  line;  and  General  Meade  would  not  have  con 
templated  such  an  arrangement  had  he  first  visited  that  part  of  the  field  and 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  q^ 

acquainted  himself  personally  with  the  distances  and  topography.  A  line 
connecting  Cemetery  Ridge  with  Little  Round  Top  would  furnish  a  fairly 
good  defensive  position,  despite  the  mass  of  woods  which  at  that  time  screened 
its  immediate  front;  and,  if  the  Round  Tops  had  been  occupied  the  Third 
Corps  would  not  have  sought  any  other.  But  that  Longstreet's  heavy  columns, 
advancing  under  cover  of  the  woods  and  timber,  would  have  been  repulsed  and 
defeated  just  the  same  can  hardly  be  maintained. 

General  Halleck,  in  his  official  report,  speaks  of  a  "  gap  "  in  the  line  as 
made  by  the  Third  Corps  in  its  movements.  But  the  Third  Corps,  when  it 
went  into  position,  held  the  extreme  left  of  the  army,  and  no  matter  which 
way  its  left  swung  it  would  not  leave  a  gap.  During  the  battle  the  Fifth 
Corps  formed  on  its  left,  and  the  Third,  after  a  long  fight,  was  relieved  by 
other  troops.  But  at  no  time  was  any  of  the  front  uncovered;  nor  was  the 
Sixth  Corps  "  opportunely  thrown  into  this  gap,"  as  Halleck  states.  The  few 
troops  of  the  Sixth  Corps  that  were  engaged  fought  at  Gulp's  Hill  or  in  sup 
port  of  McCandless  in  his  charge  through  the  Wheatfield. 

The  battle  of  the  third  day  was  but  a  hopeless  attempt  by  Lee  to  retrieve  his 
fortunes  on  that  field, —  an  unnecessary  sacrifice  of  life.  The  Army  of  the 
Potomac  had  effected  a  complete  concentration.  It  held  a  remarkably  strong 
position,  and  had  successfully  repulsed  attacks  at  all  points  of  its  line.  While  it 
might  be  outflanked  and  its  position  turned,  it  could  not  be  forced  by  direct 
pressure.  And,  yet,  Lee  assumed  that  what  Burnside  failed  to  do  at  Marye's 
Heights,  he  could  do  at  Gettysburg. 

Longstreet's  assault  on  the  third  day  had  some  slight  semblance  of  success 
when  Armistead  and  his  men  crossed  the  wall, —  just  enough  to  divert  attention 
from  the  utter  hopelessness  of  the  attempt  and  relieve  the  affair  from  the  odium 
of  an  inexcusable  error.  But  this  slight  success  of  the  Confederates  would  not 
have  been  possible  but  for  the  mistake  in  placing  a  battery  on  the  front  line  at 
the  Angle.  It  was  through  this  opening  —  and  at  no  other  place  —  that  an 
entrance  was  made.  Had  there  been  a  strong  force  of  infantry  on  that  portion 
of  the  line,  not  a  Confederate  would  have  crossed  the  wall.  The  storm  of 
bullets  would  have  beaten  them  back  there  the  same  as  at  every  other  point  of 
the  line. 

The  grand  cannonade  was  a  dramatic  incident  that  has  unduly  magnified  the 
operations  of  the  third  day.  It  was  a  piece  of  noisy  Chinese  warfare  that 
accomplished  nothing.  The  official  reports  indicate  that  the  casualties  inflicted 
by  the  artillery,  aside  from  those  in  its  own  ranks,  were  absurdly  dispropor 
tionate  to  the  noise  and  expenditure  of  ammunition.  It  caused  no  demoraliza 
tion  in  the  infantry  lines.  When  the  time  came,  the  steady  arm  and  deadly 
aim  revealed  itself  at  every  point. 

Johnson's  attack  on  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  although  ordered  with 
out  any  attempt  at  co-operation,  was  not  without  some  hope  of  success.  But 
with  daylight  there  passed  away  all  chance  of  surprising  the  rear  of  M cade's 
army.  The  intervening  hours  had  enabled  Slocum  to  make  his  preparations, 
not  only  for  successful  resistance,  but  to  regain  all  that  had  been  lost.  What 
ever  opportunity  Johnson  may  have  had  under  the  cover  of  the  night  was  lost 
when  he  halted  to  await  the  morning. 

The  lack  of  simultaneous  attacks  on  the  second  day  has  been  deemed  by 
many  as  the  true  reason  of  Lee's  defeat.  But,  if  Johnson  had  attacked  at  the 


96 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


same  hour  with  Longstreet  he  would  have  then  found  the  entire  Twelfth  Corps 
in  its  works,  and  his  division  could  not  have  advanced  beyond  the  valley  of 
Rock  Creek. 

True,  if  the  Confederates  had  attacked  all  along  the  line  at  the  same  time, 
Carroll's  Brigade  might  not  have  assisted  in  repulsing  the  assault  on  Cemetery 
Hill;  but  Robinson's  and  Doubleday's  divisions  were  massed  there  in  reserve 
until  evening,  and  would  have  been  available. 

There  is  no  need  of  speculation  as  to  the  cause  of  Lee's  defeat.  It  was  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

General  Lee  was  embarrassed  in  his  movements  by  the  absence  of  his  cavalry, 
and  the  consequent  lack  of  information  as  to  the  movements  of  his  opponent 
which  he  otherwise  would  have  obtained  through  mounted  troops  and  scouting 
parties.  Had  he  been  informed  promptly  of  Hooker's  passage  of  the  Potomac, 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  would  probably  have  been  concentrated  at 
some  point  other  than  Gettysburg  and  nearer  its  base  of  supplies.  The  Army 
of  the  Potomac  crossed  the  river  on  the  25th  and  26th;  but  General  Lee,  hear 
ing  nothing  of  its  movements,  and  receiving  no  word  from  Stuart,  supposed 
that  it  was  still  in  Virginia.  The  march  of  Swell's  Corps  to  Harrisburg  was 
based  on  this  idea. 

On  the  evening  of  the  28th  one  of  Longstreet's  scouts  brought  the  news 
that  Hooker's  army  had  crossed  the  Potomac  and  that  its  advance  had  reached 
Frederick,  Md.  Lee  then  ordered  a  concentration  at  Gettysburg  in  order  to 
draw  his  opponent  farther  away  from  the  Confederate  line  of  supplies.  Still, 
this  lack  of  information  during  these  three  days  seems  to  have  had  but  little 
influence  on  the  general  movements  of  the  campaign,  except  so  far  as  it  may 
have  determined  the  place  of  encounter. 

But  General  Lee  was  not  wholly  without  cavalry.  Jenkins'  Brigade  accom 
panied  Ewell's  Corps  on  its  march  to  the  Susquehanna,  while  Robertson's, 
Jones',  and  Imboden's  brigades  protected  the  rear  of  the  Confederate  army 
and  its  line  of  communications.  Of  the  seven  cavalry  brigades  in  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia,  three,  only,  were  with  Stuart  on  his  raid.  There  was 
an  absence  rather  than  a  lack  of  cavalry. 

Stuart's  three  brigades,  before  crossing  the  Potomac,  cut  loose  from  the 
Confederate  army,  and  moving  to  the  south  and  rear  of  Hooker's  army  in 
Virginia,  passed  northward  within  a  few  miles  of  Washington  and  Baltimore, 
a  movement  which  was  permissible  under  his  orders.  But  in  the  meanwhile 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  its  march  through  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania 
occupied  the  territory  between  Stuart  and  Lee,  and  a  junction  was  effected 
only  by  making  a  wide  circuit  via  York  and  Carlisle. 

To  offset  the  embarrassment  caused  by  his  absence  General  Stuart  accom 
plished  much.  His  men  destroyed  the  railroad  and  telegraph  communica 
tions  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  east  of  Frederick,  causing  great 
alarm  in  Baltimore  and  Washington,  and  preventing  French's  Division  from 
reinforcing  Meade.  He  captured,  near  Rockville,  Md.,  within  a  few  miles  of 
Washington,  a  train  of  125  wagons  and  well-equipped  teams,  the  wagons  being 
laden  with  needful  supplies.  He  burned  a  number  of  wagons  and  captured 
over  1,000  prisoners.  The  positive  and  successful  results  of  his  daring  raid 
fully  offset  the  negative  and  problematic  disadvantages  of  his  absence. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  97 

In  view  of  the  overwhelming-  defeat  of  Longstreet's  assault  it  has  been 
asserted  often  that  General  Meade  should  have  followed  up  the  retreating 
Confederates  promptly  with  a  counter  charge.  But  it  should  be  remembered 
that  the  troops  which  repelled  the  assault  were  in  no  condition  to  make  such  a 
movement.  It  was  only  by  an  exhaustive,  heroic  effort  that  they  had  held  their 
own.  They  felt  that  they  had  done  well  and  done  enough  in  winning  the  vic 
tory.  Moreover,  many  of  the  regiments  in  Gibbon's  and  Hays'  divisions,  on 
whom  the  attack  fell,  were  in  a  disorganized  state  when  the  affair  was  over. 
Hancock  and  Gibbon  had  fallen,  seriously  wounded.  The  two  brigades  of  Hall 
and  Harrow  had  left  their  places  in  line  and  hurried  to  take  part  in  the  affray  at 
the  copse,  losing  all  semblance  of  regimental  formations  in  the  general  rush  to 
that  point.  Considerable  time  elapsed  before  these  regiments,  although  vic 
torious  and  elated  with  success,  could  re-form  and  resume  their  places.  It  was 
too  late  then  for  them  to  make  a  counter  charge.  Then,  again,  the  subsequent 
advance  of  Perry's  and  Wilcox's  brigades,  futile  and  weak  as  it  proved  to  be, 
caused  a  further  delay,  for  it  appeared  as  if  other  assaults  were  yet  to  come. 

The  Sixth  Corps,  which  was  held  in  reserve,  though  fresh  and  ready  for 
action,  was  posted  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Round  Tops,  over  a  mile  away,  and 
hence  was  not  available  for  any  counter  charge  from  Cemetery  Ridge.  The 
Third  Corps  and  two  divisions  of  the  First  were  in  position  behind  or  near  the 
Second  Corps.  From  these  troops  General  Meade  might  have  formed  a  charg 
ing  line  of  15,000  men  for  a  counter  attack ;  but  events  seemed  to  justify  Long- 
street's  assertion  that  the  15,000  men  had  never  been  arrayed  that  could  cross 
that  valley  and  successfully  assault  the  opposite  slope.  Seminary  Ridge  was 
lined  with  Confederate  infantry  and  artillery  which  had  not  left  their  positions 
during  the  fighting,  the  infantry  including  three  brigades  —  Thomas's,  Ma- 
hone's,  and  Posey's  —  which,  hitherto,  had  not  been  actively  engaged. 

Still  there  was  a  grand  opportunity  afforded  on  the  third  day  which  was  not 
improved.  While  it  is  conceded  that,  after  the  repulse  of  Longstreet's  col 
umns,  an  immediate  counter  charge  across  the  same  ground  would  have  been 
impracticable,  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  a  prompt  offensive  move 
ment  against  Lee's  right,  made  by  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps  with  M'erritt's 
and  Farnsworth's  brigades  of  cavalry,  would  have  driven  the  Confederate 
army  back  in  a  disastrous  rout. 

General  Hancock,  while  lying  on  the  field  wounded,  dictated  a  despatch  to 
General  Meade  immediately  after  Longstreet's  repulse,  in  which  he  said :  "  I 
have  never  seen  a  more  formidable  attack,  and  if  the  Sixth  and  Fifth  Corps 
have  pressed  up,  the  enemy  will  be  destroyed."  But,  only  one  brigade  of  each 
corps  was  thrown  forward.  These  troops  encountered  little  opposition,  as 
Hood's  Division  was  even  then  falling  back  to  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  and 
the  pursuit  ceased  before  it  reached  that  far. 

But  what  would  have  been  the  result  had  the  25,000  Union  troops,  infantry 
and  cavalry, available  at  that  point, been  thrown  against  the  Confederates,  one 
division  of  which  was  then  out  of  position  and  was  falling  back?  Part  of  the 
Sixth  Corps  was  massed  in  the  rear  of  Big  Round  Top,  and  while  the  Fifth 
Corps  struck  the  retreating  enemy  in  front,  the  Sixth,  passing  to  the  south  of  the 
7 


58  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

hill,  would  have  attacked  them  on  the  flank.  Kilpatrick's  two  brigades  of  cav 
alry,  unimpeded  by  any  resistance,  would  have  moved  swiftly  over  the  open, 
level  fields  and  reached  the  Fairneld  Road,  along  which  lay  the  Confederate 
line  of  retreat.  The  Confederate  right,  attacked  in  front  and  flank  by  superior 
numbers,  and  with  the  Union  cavalry  galloping  through  the  wagon  trains  in  its 
rear,  would  have  been  doubled  up  and  routed.*  Lee's  army  with  its  extended 
line  of  over  six  miles  could  not  have  concentrated  in  time  to  resist  the  blow, 
but,  instead,  would  have  had  to  face  the  attack  in  front  which  Meade  would 
have  ordered  along  the  whole  line.  In  place  of  its  safe  and  orderly  retreat,  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia  would  have  had  to  face  the  direst  possibilities  that 
ever  confronted  a  defeated  army.  Hancock's  prediction,  in  all  probability, 
would  have  been  fulfilled. 

But  the  success  of  any  such  movement  against  the  Confederate  right  de 
pended  largely  on  its  being  made  immediately  after  the  repulse  of  Pickett's  and 
Pettigrew's  columns,  and  while  the  divisions  of  Hood  and  McLaws  were  also 
falling  back.  On  the  next  day  the  conditions  had  changed  materially,  for  the 
intervening  hours  had  been  improved  by  Lee  in  withdrawing  his  entire  army  to 
Seminary  Ridge,  where  it  occupied  a  shorter  and  more  compact  line,  protected 
by  strong  intrenchments.  Secure  in  this  defensive  position  the  Confederates 
awaited  events.  They  "  hoped  and  prayed  "  that  Meade  would  attack,  confident 
in  their  ability  to  effect  a  bloody  and  disastrous  repulse  that  would  offset  the 
failure  of  the  previous  day,  and  enable  them  to  return  to  Virginia  with  honors 
more  evenly  divided.  But  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  did  not  move. 

Although,  on  the  morning  of  the  4th,  a  direct  attack  on  Lee's  intrenchments 
offered  little  prospect  of  success,  there  still  remained  to  General  Meade  the 
opportunity  of  advancing  the  Sixth  Corps  with  Kilpatrick's  cavalry,  and  attack 
ing  Lee's  line  of  retreat  at  some  place  between  Gettysburg  and  the  Cashtown 
hills.  But  it  was  useless  to  make  any  such  movement  after  Lee  had  with 
drawn  his  army  into  the  defiles  and  passes  of  the  South  Mountain  range. 

That  General  Meade  did  not  order  a  counter  charge  from  Cemetery  Ridge 
immediately  after  the  repulse  of  Longstreet's  assault  on  the  third  day  has  occa 
sioned  considerable  comment  and  some  unfavorable  criticism.  The  impractica 
bility  of  such  a  movement  has  already  been  discussed.  It  is  interesting  to  note, 
however,  in  connection  with  such  criticisms,  that  Lee's  failure  to  make  a 
countercharge  at  Marye's  Heights  has  never  provoked  remark.  Many  writers 
have  also  complained  that  after  Gettysburg  Meade  did  not  prevent  the  return 
of  Lee's  army  to  Virginia, —  that  he  did  not  disperse,  capture,  or  annihilate  it. 
But  it  does  not  appear  that  these  writers  ever  held  that  Lee  should  have  accom 
plished  such  results  after  Chancellorsville,  although  he  too  had  driven  a  de 
feated  army  to  the  banks  of  a  swollen  river. 

When  Meade  turned  the  invaders  homeward  he  had  accomplished  his  task, 
so  far  as  it  lay  in  repelling  the  invasion.  The  annihilation  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  —  which  required  two  more  years  of  manoeuvring  and 
bloody  fighting  —  could  well  be  postponed.  To  have  attacked  Lee  in  his 
works  at  Wiliamsport  would  have  incurred  a  terrible  risk, —  would  have  im- 

*"  Kilpatrick's  mistake  was  in  not  putting  Farnsworth  in  on  Merrill's  left,  where  he 
would  have  had  an  open  ride,  and  made  more  trouble  than  was  ever  made  by  a  cavalry 
brigade.  Had  Ihe  ride  been  followed  by  prompt  advance  of  the  enemy's  infantry  in 
line  beyond  our  righl  and  pushed  with  vigor,  Ihey  could  have  reached  our  line  of  re 
treat."  (General  Longstreet:  Memoirs  of  the  Civil  War,  p.  396.) 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  99 

periled  all  the  fruits  of  victory.  Meade  outnumbered  Lee,  but  not  enough  to 
warrant  an  attack  on  an  intrenched  position.  There  was  no  need  of  repeating 
the  sad  and  bitter  experience  of  Fredericksburg,  or  anticipating  that  of  Cold 
Harbor. 

Gettysburg  was  the  greatest,  grandest  battle  of  the  war.  And  yet  the  vic 
tory  won  there  was  not  a  decisive  one.  It  was  but  a  repetition  of  Antietam, 
with  this  difference  only, —  that  the  Confederacy  was  one  year  nearer  the  end 
of  its  resources,  one  year  nearer  the  inevitable.  True,  the  Confederates  aban 
doned  the  field.  They  left  their  dead  and  many  of  their  wounded  in  the  enemy's 
hands ;  and  in  this  sense  it  was  a  defeat  for  them.  But  the  defeat,  such  as  it 
was,  did  not  prevent  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  from  baffling  its  adversary 
during  two  more  years  of  war.  It  was  able  to  send  Longstreet's  Corps  to 
Chickamauga,  and  still  confront  Meade  successfully  at  Mine  Run.  It  was 
destined  to  keep  the  field,  deal  heavier  blows  than  it  had  dealt  before,  and  to 
inflict  greater  losses  on  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  than  had  hitherto  befallen  it 
during  the  war.  But  the  invaders  were  driven  off  from  Northern  soil,  and 
in  this,  Gettysburg  was  decisive  in  what  was  prevented  rather  than  in  what 
was  achieved. 

Gettysburg  ended  the  invasion ;  but  the  invading  army  retired  in  good  order. 
With  the  exception  of  the  affair  at  Monterey,  its  miles  of  wagon  trains,  laden 
with  spoils  and  army  supplies  gathered  during  its  foray,  passed  safely  back  to 
Virginia.  It  had  lost  many  of  its  bravest  men;  but  its  adversary  had  suffered 
to  an  equal  extent.  In  its  desperate  assaults  it  lost  many  of  its  flags ;  but  it  bore 
back  to  Virginia  several  stands  of  colors  which  it  had  wrested  from  its  op 
ponents.  In  its  retreat  it  abandoned  five  pieces  of  artillery;  but  it  brought 
away  seven  captured  cannon  taken  in  its  tumultuous  assaults.  It  left  5,000 
unwounded  men  behind  as  prisoners ;  but  it  took  away  an  equal  number  of 
captured  men  to  swell  the  number  in  the  already  overcrowded  prison  pens  in 
the  south.  Gettysburg  was  a  victory;  but  it  was  ten  months  before  the  two 
armies  met  again  on  the  field  of  battle. 

That  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  recrossed  the  Potomac  with  a  loss  of 
prestige  and  depressed  in  spirit  goes  without  saying.  They  had  marched  north 
ward  confident  of  success.  With  Manassas,  Fredericksburg,  and  Chancellors- 
ville  in  mind,  they  believed  in  the  invincibility  of  their  army  and  its  com 
mander.  Defeat,  no  matter  how  mitigating  the  circumstances,  must  have  pro 
duced  for  awhile  a  loss  of  morale.  But  such  depression  counts  but  little  with 
the  American  soldier.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  abandoned  its  ground  at 
Chancellorsville  only  to  hold  it  at  Gettysburg. 

The  escape  of  Lee's  army  after  Gettysburg,  and  the  possibility  of  its  capture 
has  been  the  subject  of  much  discussion.  But,  having  given  it  a  day's  start  it 
was  not  in  the  power  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  cut  off  its  retreat,  sur 
round,  or  capture  it.  The  relative  strength  of  the  two  armies  remained  un 
changed  by  the  battle.  Acting  on  the  defensive,  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir 
ginia  would  have  been  the  stronger. 

After  the  battle  the  Confederates  rested  quietly  at  Gettysburg  an 
entire  day  awaiting  an  attack.  Then,  having  sent  away  his  wagon 


ioo  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

trains,  Lee  departed,  his  army  moving  off  unmolested  and  in  good  order. 
As  he  returned  to  the  Potomac  by  the  shortest  route,  it  was  impossible  to 
intercept  or  surround  him.  If  Meade  had  followed  promptly,  taking  the  direct 
road  instead  of  the  circuitous  march  by  Frederick,  he  could  have  overtaken 
the  retreating  Confederates,  and  there  would  have  been  some  sharp  encounters 
with  the  rear  guard  in  the  mountain  passes,  but  with  little  opportunity  to 
achieve  any  satisfactory  or  important  results.  If,  by  attacking  his  rear,  Lee 
could  have  been  forced  into  another  general  engagement,  he  would  have  taken 
the  defensive  in  some  strong  position  of  his  own  choosing.  Such  conditions 
afforded  little  opportunity  to  defeat,  disperse,  or  capture  the  Confederate  army, 
however  great  the  disappointment  of  the  North  that  such  results  were  not 
achieved. 

To  have  successfully  intercepted  Lee  in  his  retreat  would  have  required 
another  and  a  separate  army,  which,  moving  against  Lee's  communications, 
could  have  thrown  itself  across  his  line  of  march  while  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac  attacked  vigorously  in  his  rear.  That  no  such  movement  wks  made  was 
not  due  to  any  lack  of  available  troops.  But  General  Halleck,  the  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  Union  armies,  still  clung  to  the  idea  that  Washington  must  not 
be  uncovered,  and  so  this  opportunity  was  lost. 

General  Hooker's  plan  for  the  campaign  included  such  a  movement,  and 
just  before  he  was  relieved  he  ordered  Slocum  with  the  Twelfth  Corps  to 
Harper's  Ferry,  with  the  intention  of  adding  the  10,000  troops  in  garrison 
there  to  Slocum's  command.  With  this  strong  column  Slocum  was  instructed 
to  operate  against  the  Confederate  line  of  communications  while  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  attacked  in  front.  But  Halleck  refused  Hooker's  request  that  this 
garrison  should  be  placed  at  his  disposal,  and  so  the  Twelfth  Corps  was  recalled 
to  Frederick  after  making  a  fruitless  march  to  Harper's  Ferry.  But  upon  Gen 
eral  Meade's  appointment  Halleck  immediately  notified  him  that  the  troops 
at  Harper's  Ferry  —  French's  Division  —  were  at  his  command.  As  these 
troops  could  be  of  no  possible  use  at  Harper's  Ferry,  General  Meade  withdrew 
them  and  placed  them  on  the  line  of  his  own  communications.  This  was  prob 
ably  the  best  that  he  could  do,  for  he  did  not  need  them  with  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  at  the  same  time  they  were  not  strong  enough  to  intercept  Lee's 
army  with  advantage. 

But,  if  there  was  a  possibility  that  Meade  could  have  "  overtaken,"  "  de 
feated,"  "  routed,"  "  dispersed,"  or  "  captured  "  Lee's  army  during  its  retreat, 
it  was  too  late  to  attempt  it  after  Lee  had  reached  Williamsport  and  intrenched 
himself  in  that  strong  position. 

The  commander-in-chief  at  Washington  had  at  his  command  disposable  forces 
from  which  he  could  have  formed  a  second  army,  which  could  have  been  thrown 
across  the  line  of  Lee's  communications.  There  were  45,000  troops  at  Wash 
ington.  There  were  20,000  on  the  Peninsula,  either  idle  or  engaged  in  fruit 
less,  ill-planned  movements,  not  including  the  6,000  in  garrison  at  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk.  At  New  Berne  and  Beaufort  there  were  20,000  more  in  idleness. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  >.o/ 

Mention,  also,  might  be  made  of  the  45,000  troops  in  the  Eighth  Corps  and 
Department  of  West  Virginia,  which  were  scattered  from  Baltimore  to  the 
Shenandoah,  and  not  including  the  forces  in  the  Kanawha.  Some  of  these 
troops,  no  doubt,  were  not  available ;  and  some  of  them  could  not  have  been 
moved  in  time.  But,  if  orders  had  been  issued  promptly,  when  the  Confed 
erate  advance  crossed  the  Potomac,  a  second  army,  and  a  strong  one,  could 
have  been  sent  into  Western  Maryland  before  Lee  recrossed  the  river. 

The  troops  on  the  Peninsula  were  ordered  to  reinforce  Meade,  but  not  in 
time  to  be  of  any  avail  in  cutting  off  Lee's  retreat. 

Among  the  troops  uselessly  held  at  Washington  were  eleven  regiments  of 
heavy  artillery, —  drilled  and  equipped  as  infantry,  each  1,800  strong, —  num 
bering  in  the  aggregate  over  20,000  men,  efficient,  well-disciplined  troops. 
The  absurdity  of  holding  these  fine  brigades  at  Washington  was  demonstrated 
by  General  Grant  when,  in  a  subsequent  campaign,  he  promptly  ordered 
them  to  the  front. 

Gettysburg  was  a  battle  in  which  many  of  the  movements  were  the  result 
of  circumstance  and  opportunity.  On  each  side  there  was  a  remarkable  dis 
play  of  brilliant  generalship  on  the  part  of  subordinate  commanders,  devel 
oped  by  the  unforeseen  exigencies  of  the  contest.  And,  above  all,  there  was 
that  grand  story  of  courage  and  heroism  shown  by  the  men  of  both  armies, 
which  will  ever  redound  to  the  honor  of  the  American  soldier  and  be  cherished 
as  a  glorious  and  a  common  heritage  by  all  the  people  of  this  reunited  land. 


How  many  men  were  present  at  Gettysburg  in  each  army?  The  history  of 
the  battle  would  be  incomplete  without  this  information. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  mustered  on  June  3Oth,  the  day  before  the 
fighting  commenced.  The  number  then  present  for  duty  is  definitely  stated ; 
but  the  number  actually  present  on  the  field  during  the  next  three  days  — 
who  participated  in  the  fighting  or  were  ready  to  do  so  if  called  upon  —  can 
not  be  determined  so  accurately. 

The  field  returns  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  for  June  30,  1863,  show  its 
strength  on  that  date  as, — 

Aggregate   present   1 17,930 

Present  for  duty 104,256 

Present  for  duty  equipped ,     101,262 

The  "  aggregate  present "  shows  the  total  number  with  the  army  in  every 
capacity.  It  includes  all  arms  of  the  service,  wagon  trains,  medical  depart 
ment,  special  details,  men  under  arrest,  and  the  sick  in  camp, —  in  fact,  all  for 
whom  rations  must  be  provided. 

The  "  present  for  duty,"  includes  all  who  were  present  with  their  com- 


IO2..  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

mands  and  ready  for  duty,  whatever  their  duties  might  be.  It  embraced 
musicians,  company  cooks,  quartermasters  and  commissaries,  hospital  corps, 
and  other  noncombatants. 

The  "  present  for  duty  equipped,"  included  only  those  who  were  actually 
available  for  line  of  battle  at  the  date  of  the  regimental  reports.  Of  the  101,262 
in  this  class,  6,427  were  officers. 

The  number  belonging  to  each  corps  and  to  each  arm  of  the  service,  officers 
included,  was  as  follows: 


PRESENT  FOR  DUTY  EQUIPPED,  JUNE  30,  1863. 


ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 

Head 
quarters. 

Infantry. 

Cavalry. 

Artillery. 

Aggre 
gate. 

SO 

So 

Provost-guard  (Patrick)             .    . 

I  ,C2Q 

I.S2Q 

Engineer  Brigade  (Benham) 

04.6 

046 

Guards  and  Orderlies  (Ingalls)    . 

40 

40 

Signal  Corps  (Norton)  

6 

6 

First   Army   Corps    

0  1O^ 

619 

10  O0'' 

12  t6t 

82 

CCT 

i°  996 

Third    Army    Corps  

II  24.7 

677 

1  1  O2/1 

Fifth   Army   Corps    

1  1  QS4 

cci 

12  =i09 

Sixth  Army  Corps   

I4..516 

124 

1,039 

15,679 

Eleventh  Army  Corps  

9,197 

52 

644 

0,89"? 

Twelfth  Army  Corps  

8,193 

396 

8,589 

Cavalry  Corps  

I3,6"O 

854 

14,524 

Artillery  Reserve  

335 

2,211 

2,546 

Totals  

2  580 

77,2c8 

13,928 

7,546 

*IOI,262 

These  figures  show  the  strength  of  Meade's  army,  as  officially  reported  the 
day  before  the  battle.  Some  few  reinforcements  were  received  after  this  muster 
was  made;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  some  troops  were  detached  to  guard  various 
points  at  the  rear. 

The  accessions  referred  to  consisted  of  three  regiments  from  Stannard's  Ver 
mont  Brigade,  Lockwood's  Brigade  of  three  regiments,  Duvall's  Company  of 
Maryland  cavalry,  and  Rank's  Pennsylvania  Battery, —  in  all,  3,635  effectives. 

The  detachments,  whose  absence  at  Gettysburg,  decreased  the  effective 
strength,  were: 

The  Ninety-third  New  York  and  Eighth  United  States  Infantry,  of  the 
provost  guard,  which,  having  been  ordered  to  Westminster,  Taneytown,  and 
other  points,  did  not  arrive  at  Gettysburg  in  time  to  participate  in  the  battle; 
the  Engineer  Brigade,  part  of  which  remained  at  the  Potomac,  the  rest  having 
been  ordered  to  Washington;  the  Eighty-fourth  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  which 
was  on  duty  with  the  Third  Corps'  wagon  trains;  the  One  hundred  and  second 
Pennsylvania  Infantry,  which  was  left  with  the  wagon  trains  at  Westminster; 
Huey's  cavalry  brigade  of  four  regiments,  and  Battery  C,  Third  United  States 


Including  officers. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


103 


Artillery,  ordered  to  Westminster;  Batteries  B  and  M,  of  the  First  Connecticut 
Heavy  Artillery,,  left  at  Westminster;  and  the  Fourth  New  Jersey  Infantry 
(seven  companies)  serving  as  train  guard  for  the  Reserve  Artillery, —  in  all, 
4,341  effectives. 

These  detachments  exceeded  the  reinforcements  by  706.  Deducting  this 
excess  from  the  "  present  for  duty  equipped,"  leaves  100,556  as  the  total  effective 
strength  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on  June  3Oth. 

No  deduction  is  made  for  the  twenty-two  companies  of  infantry  and  cavalry 
on  duty  at  various  corps  and  division  headquarters,  nineteen  of  which  were 
not  engaged,  or  in  which  no  casualties  occurred. 

But  these  statements  do  not  answer  the  question  as  to  the  fighting  strength 
present  at  Gettysburg, —  the  number  of  men  that  went  into  action  with  their 
colors. 

In  their  official  reports,  made  after  the  battle,  many  regiments  and  brigades 
stated  the  exact  number  of  officers  and  men  carried  into  action.  These  state 
ments,  when  compared  with  the  number  present  for  duty  on  June  3oth,  indi 
cate  a  loss  of  over  14  per  cent. 

In  the  following  table  the  first  two  columns  show  the  numbers  of  officers  and 
men  returned  as  present  for  duty  June  3oth;  the  other  two  show  the  number 
officially  reported  by  the  regimental  commandant  as  carried  into  action  at 
Gettysburg:* 


REGIMENT. 

JUNE  30.  t 

JULY  1-8. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers 

Enlisted 
men. 

28 
26 
16 
18 
25 

16 
25 
30 
26 
15 
18 

3i 

20 
24 

16 
13 
23 
27 
20 
32 
23 
9 
23 

316 
400 
IQI 

299 

216 

TOO 

304 
341 

345 
320 
149 
247 
456 
287 
256 
183 
270 
450 
376 
218 

479 
262 

95 
324 

26 
24 

14 
18 

19 
6 

13 

22 
28 

26 
15 
17 
26 
17 
25 

16 
9 

21 

26 

14 
28 
21 
10 
25 

249 

330 
I65 
255 
185 
69 
2^O 
283 
259 
293 
1  2O 

235 

4OO 

257 
230 
136 
200 
446 
316 

151 
468 

239 
83 
261 

2d     New  Hampshire     

5th  New  Hampshire      

6oth  New  York          

64th  New  York   

6pth  New  York  

7  ist   New  York   

72d     New  York  

8oth  New  York  

io7th  New  York  

S3d     Pennsylvania   

S6th  Pennsylvania  

f)2d     Pennsylvania  

lo^th  Pennsylvania   

io7th  Pennsylvania  

i  loth  Pennsylvania  

I4ist   Pennsylvania  

15  ist   Pennsylvania  

4th  Michigan  

7th  Michigan  

24th  Michigan  

3'1     Wisconsin  

loth  U.   S    Infantry   

nth  LJ.  S    Infantry   

*  Official  Records,  vol.  XXVII,  part  I.        t  War  Department  Records. 


104 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


The  following1  regiments,  in  reporting  their  strength  in  action,  did  not  specify 
the  number  of  officers  and  men  separately: 


REGIMENT. 

JUNE  30. 

JULY  1-3. 

Officers. 

Men. 

Officers 
and  men. 

16 
17 
8 

22 

8 
26 
18 
27 
24 
17 
30 

252 
131 
104 
287 

118 

449 

2/1 

403 
483 
268 

354 

224 
IO4 
8l 
268 
go 
390 
245 
38o 
465 
263 
312 

6^d    New  York                   

86th  New  York   

88th  New  York  

I43d    Pennsylvania  

75th  Ohio  

82d    Ohio  

The  following  commands  reported  officially  the  number  carried  into  action, 
but  did  not  specify  officers  and  men  separately: 


COMMAND. 

JUNK  30. 

JULY  1-3. 

Officers. 

Men. 

Officers 
and  men. 

309 
4U 
48 
67 
72 

4,022 
5,707 
651 
1,122 
1,644 

3,773 

5,o«jo* 

578 
980 
1,  600 

Humphreys'   Division*    

Burbank  s   Brigade   (Regulars)    

Gamble's  Brigade  (Cavalry)   

The  returns  for  the  First  Corps,  on  June  3Oth,  show  10,022  officers  and  men 
present  for  duty  equipped.  But  General  Doubleday,  in  his  official  report, 
states  that  the  corps  "  contained  about  8,200  "  at  the  beginning  of  the  battle 
on  the  first  day,  a  decrease  of  18  per  cent.  The  Second  Corps  reported  12,363 
present  for  duty  in  the  infantry;  but  General  Hancock  states  officially  that 
"the  strength  of  the  corps  in  the  action  was  about  10,000  officers  and  men," 
a  decrease  of  19  per  cent.  And  every  regiment  in  that  corps  was  engaged. 

The  Twelfth  Corps  carried  into  action  89  per  cent,  of  its  nominal  strength. 
Of  the  521  officers  and  7,672  men  in  its  two  divisions  of  infantry,  present  for 
duty  equipped  June  3Oth,  there  were  7,323  officers  and  men  present  in  action, 
as  officially  reported  by  the  regimental  commandants  after  the  battle,  the  de 
crease  being  between  10  and  u  per  cent.  But  when  this  corps  was  mustered 
it  was  at  Littlestown,  eleven  miles  from  Gettysburg.  The  slighter  decrease 
may  be  clue,  in  part,  to  the  high  state  of  discipline  and  efficiency  which  pre 
vailed  in  this  command. 

*  Although  General  Humphreys  reported  his  strength  in  round  numbers,  the  figures 
must  be  nearly  accurate,  for  the  Excelsior  Brigade  of  his  division,  which  returned  140 
officers  and  2,129  men  as  present  for  duty  June  3Oth,  reported  officially  that  it  carried 
1,837  officers  and  men  into  action,  a  decrease  of  19  per  cent. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


105 


The  foregoing  statistics  indicate  that  148  in  each  1,000  of  the  imputed  strength 
of  Meade's  army  were  not  present  in  action  at  Gettysburg;  and  that,  instead  of 
100,556,  the  actual  strength,  including  the  reserves  and  all  arms  of  the  ser 
vice,  was  approximately  85,674,  with  354  pieces  of  artillery. 

Part  of  this  loss  was  due  to  the  straggling  and  disability  caused  by  the  long, 
forced  marches  by  which  the  troops  reached  the  field, —  marches  over  bad 
roads,  and  during  which  heavy  rains  alternated  with  extreme  heat.  Some  of 
the  loss  was  also  due  to  straggling  and  absence  which  occurred  before  the 
muster;  for  these  absentees,  in  many  cases,  were  returned  as  present  for  duty 
in  the  expectation  that  they  would  soon  overtake  their  regiments,  and  to  avoid 
returning  them  as  deserters  or  absent  without  leave.  Mention  should  be  made 
here,  also,  of  the  pernicious  custom  by  which,  in  many  regiments,  some  men 
were  exempted  from  fighting  in  order  that  they  might  attend  to  various  duties 
pertaining  to  the  comfort  or  convenience  of  officers,  these  men  being  reported 
at  the  same  time  as  present  for  duty  equipped. 

In  computing  the  strength  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  at  Gettysburg, 
recourse  must  be  had  to  the  return  of  May  31,  1863.*  Of  the  returns  made 
before  the  battle,  this  is  the  latest  on  file.  It  showed  an  aggregate  present  of 
88,735,  with  74,459  present  for  duty.  The  army,  present  for  duty,  was  divided 
as  follows 


Officers. 

Men. 

Total. 

General  Staff                            

17 

17 

S.IOI 

^4,  747 

en  448 

Cavalry    

756 

9,536 

10,202 

Artillery    

242 

4,460 

4  702 

Totals  

6,116 

68,343 

74,4^0 

After  this  return  was  made,  and  before  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  Lee's  army 
was  increased  by  accessions  consisting  of  Pettigrew's  Brigade  (2,880), \  Davis' 
Brigade  (2,577), J  the  Twenty-fifth  (350)  and  Thirty-first  (28o)§  Virginia  regi 
ments,  and  First  Maryland  Battalion  (400) ||  of  infantry;  Jenkins'  Brigade  of 

*  Official  Records,  vol.  XXV,  part  II,  p.  845.  The  returns  for  June  loth,  20th,  and 
30th  are  not  on  file. 

t  Not  including  one  regiment  left  in  North  Carolina. 

$  In  a  return  of  French's  Division,  Department  North  Carolina,  dated  May  31,  1863, 
the  strength  of  Davis"  Brigade  is  stated  at  163  officers  and  2,414  men  present  for  duty. — 
Official  Records,  vol.  XVIII,  p.  1086. 

§  The  Twenty-fifth  and  Thirty-first  Virginia  were  on  detached  service  in  West  Vir 
ginia.  General  Early,  to  whose  division  the  Thirty-first  Virginia  belonged,  says  that 
it  did  not  rejoin  his  command  until  after  May  31  st  and  was  not  included  in  the  return 
of  that  date. —  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers,  vol.  VI,  p.  17. 

||  Joined  the  army  at  Winchester,  June  I3th;  was  in  the  Valley  District  previously. 
Inscription  on  monument  says  it  carried  400  into  action  at  Gettysburg. 


io6  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

cavalry  (1,600);*  and  five  additional  batteries  of  artillery  which,  with  Alex 
ander's  and  Garnett's  battalions  —  not  included  in  the  return  of  May  3ist, — 
make  an  increase  in  the  artillery  of  684.  These  accessions  amount,  in  the  ag 
gregate,  to  8,691. 

As  a  partial  offset  to  this  increase,  deductions  must  be  made  for  the  Con 
federate  losses  in  action  at  Brandy  Station,  Winchester,  and  the  various  cav 
alry  encounters,  June  10-24,  in  which  the  aggregate  of  killed,  wounded  and 
missing  was  officially  reported  at  1,439;  f°r  Corse's  Brigade,  of  Pickett's 
Division  (1,200)  ;f  three  regiments  (919)  of  Early's  Division, —  the  Thirteenth 
Virginia,  Fifty-eighth  Virginia,  and  Fifty-fourth  North  Carolina  ;J  the  Fourth 
and  Fifth  North  Carolina  Cavalry  (1,135),  of  Robertson's  Brigade,§  and  the 
Twelfth  Virginia  Cavalry  (550)  of  Jones'  Brigade;  in  all,  5,243. 

The  net  increase  of  3,448  added  to  the  return  of  May  3ist  (74,459)  indicates 
that,  in  the  invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  General  Lee  had  an  army  numbering 
77,907  —  infantry,  cavalry  and  artillery  —  present  for  duty  and  available  for 
line  of  battle.  As  to  what  percentage  of  this  army  was  in  line  on  the  field  of 
Gettysburg  will  always  remain  a  matter  of  conjecture. 

There  must  have  been  some  straggling  and  sickness  resulting  from  fatigue 
and  heat,  although  all  reports  agree  that  while  in  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania 
but  few  Confederate  stragglers  were  seen  until  after  the  battle. 

On  the  other  hand,  recruits,  conscripts  and  convalescents,  in  considerable 
number,  joined  the  army  subsequent  to  May  3ist  and  while  on  the  march  to 
Gettysburg.  Evidence  of  this  is  found  in  General  Lee's  official  correspondence.  || 

But  a  careful  examination  of  all  the  official  statistics  relating  to  the  matter 
shows  that  the  losses  from  straggling,  sickness,  and  other  causes,  exceeded  the 
gains  from  recruits  and  convalescents,  an  excess  which  is  estimated  tentatively 
at  8  per  cent.ff  of  the  total  strength,  or  6,232.  Deducting  this  amount  from 
the  total,  it  is  assumed  that  the  strength  of  General  Lee's  army,  at  Gettysburg, 

*  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart  states  in  his  official  report  that  Jenkins'  Brigade  was  3,800 
strong.  Lieutenant  Schuricht,  Fourteenth  Virginia  Cavalry,  noted  in  his  diary,  at  the 
time,  that  Jenkins'  Brigade  numbered  3,200  officers  and  men  at  Chambersburg,  Pa. — 
See  Lieutenant  Schuricht's  article  in  So.  Hist.  Soc.  Papers,  vol.  XXIV,  p.  340.  But 
see,  also,  General  Rodes'  report,  Official  Records,  vol.  XXVII,  part  II,  p.  547;  and 
Gen.  Fitz  Hugh  Lee's  article,  So.  Hist.  Soc.  Papers,  vol.  V,  p.  165. 

t  On  March  9,  1863,  Corse's  Brigade  reported  90  officers  and  934  men  present  for 
duty,  and  1,229  aggregate  present.  On  June  I5th,  General  Corse  reported  that  his  com 
mand  did  "  not  number  over  1,200  effective  men." —  Official  Records,  vol.  XXVII,  part 
HI,  P.  893. 

t  General  Early  says  that  these  were  the  three  smallest  regiments  in  his  division. — 
So.  Hist.  Soc.  Papers,  vol.  VI,  p.  17. 

§  On  the  return  of  May  25,  1863,  these  two  regiments  reported  67  officers  and  1,068 
men  present  for  duty. —  Official  Records,  vol.  XXV,  part  H,  p.  823. 

i|  On  June  isth  General  Lee  specifies  the  route  and  gives  directions  "to  forward 
all  convalescents  and  other  soldiers  returning  to  the  army,  sending  them  in  detachments, 
properly  rationed." — Official  Records,  vol.  XXV,  part  II,  p.  890. 

H  Rodes'  Division  numbered  on  May  3ist,  648  officers  and  7,806  men  present  for 
duty.  At  Carlisle,  Pa.,  the  day  before  the  battle,  General  Rodes  reported  his  strength 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  107 

approximated  closely  to  71,675,*  including  all  arms  of  the  service,  with  265 
pieces  of  artillery. 

That  this  number  is  substantially  correct  is  proved  by  taking  the  return  of 
July  2Oth,  and  adding  to  it  the  cavalry,  the  losses  in  battle,  and  the  losses  on  the 
march  between  July  4th  and  the  date  of  this  return. 

In  computing  the  strength  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  no  account  is 
made  of  Imboden's  Brigade,  although  it  arrived  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg  at 
noon  of  July  3d,  and  General  Imboden,  as  he  says,  witnessed  the  great  infantry 
assault  of  that  day. 

The  figures  for  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  include  the  Sixth  Corps.  The 
greater  part  of  this  corps  was  held  in  reserve,  and  was  not  engaged;  but  it  was 
on  the  field,  available  and  ready  for  action  if  needed. 

For  the  convenience  of  the  many  who  find  it  easier  to  remember  round  num 
bers  it  may  be  stated  that  the  fighting  strength  of  Meade's  and  Lee's  armies  at 
Gettysburg  was,  respectively,  85,000  and  71,000. 

as  671  officers  and  7,381  men  present  for  duty,  a  loss  of  over  4  per  cent.  General 
Early  states  that  the  decrease  in  his  division  before  the  battle,  exclusive  of  losses  in 
action,  was  about  10  per  cent.  But  General  Benning,  of  Hood's  Division,  says  in  his 
official  report  that  "  the  rolls  when  we  arrived  at  Gettysburg  showed  almost  the  same 
number  which  they  showed  when  we  left  Culpeper  Court-House."  Col.  Walter  Harrison, 
inspector  general  of  Pickett's  Division,  in  his  history,  "  Pickett's  Men,"  says  that  in  this 
division  "  there  was  no  straggling,  no  desertion,  nor  disorder." 

*  General  Longstreet  estimates  Lee's  strength  at  Gettysburg  as  75,568;  and  Col.  Walter 
H.  Taylor,  Lee's  adjutant-general,  puts  the  figures  at  67,000 —  infantry,  cavalry  and  artil 
lery.  The  Comte  de  Paris,  in  his  history  of  the  battle,  estimates  that  Meade's  effective 
forces  were  from  82,000  to  84,000  men;  and  that  Lee's  were  from  68,000  to  69,000. 


108 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


STRENGTH  AND  LOSSES  OF  NEW  YORK  TROOPS 
AT  GETTYSBURG,  JULY  1-3,  1863. 


ORGANIZATION. 

Corps. 

Present. 

•o 

0 

:2 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or  missing. 

«.' 
bo 

u 

to 
M 
< 

Eleventh  

4O 

loth  Infantry  (4--e<rfri  panics)  .... 

Second    

qS 

2 

4 

6 

I2th  Infantry  (2  companies)  .... 

Fifth   

117 

I5th  Engineers  (3  companies).  .  . 

-371 

3gth  Infantry  (4  companies)  .    .  . 

Second    

322 

1C 

80 

QC 

4Oth  Infantry    

Third           

606 

2T 

1  2O 

_ 

4ist   Infantry  
42cl    Infantry   

Eleventh  
Second      

2lS 
IO7 

15 

TC 

53 
e  c 

75 

7  1 

43d    Infantry  

Sixth        .  .  .  ,  

4O7 

2 

2 

44th  Infantry  .    

Fifth  

460 

26 

82 

T 

III 

45th  Infantry....  

Eleventh    

A  47 

1  1 

178 

224 

49  th  Infantry  ,  

Sixth       

414 

2 

2 

704. 

52*1    Infantry  
54th  infantry  ,  .  .  ,  

Second    
Eleventh    

134 
216 

2 

7 

26 

47 

IO 

48 

38 
IO2 

Second    

I7Q 

A 

28 

2 

•3.4 

58th_Jnfantry  

Eleventh    

222 

1C. 

-7 

2O 

Second    

lS2 

6 

28 

60th  Infantry  

Twelfth  

277 

ii 

41 

Second    

IO4 

6 

c6 

62 

Sixth  

277 

i 

ii 

12 

631^    Infantry  (2  companies).  .  .  . 

Second    

Si 

c 

IO 

8 

2*3 

64th  Infantry    ...    .    

2OJ. 

T  e 

64 

Sixth  

iIQ 

4 

c 

66th  Infantry   

Second            

176 

c 

2O 

67  th  Infantry  

Sixth  

356 

i 

I 

68th  Infantry  

Eleventh      .  .          .  . 

264. 

8 

67 

67 

118 

6gth  Infantry  (2  companies).  :  .  . 

Second        .  .          .  .  . 

e 

14 

5 

2s 

_70th  Infantry  

Third       

^71 

2O 

O7 

117 

,7-1  st   Infantry  

Third  

2J7 

IO 

68 

1  1 

OI 

x^2d    Infantry    

Third  

00=; 

7 

28 

IT4 

Third  

CQ7 

CI 

IO7 

8 

l62 

Third  

27^ 

12 

74 

•3 

89 

76th  Infantry     ,.... 

First 

^60 

T72 

77th  Infantry  

Sixth  

424 

78th  Infantry  

Twelfth  

iqS 

6 

21 

<1 

TO 

8oth  Infantry  (2Oth  S.  M.)  

First  

287 

ae 

III 

I7O 

&2d    Infantry  (  2d    S.  M.)  

Second    

^04 

4C 

112 

TC 

IO2 

83d    Infantry  (  gth  S.  M.)  

First  

215 

6 

'     18 

cfi 

82 

84th  Infantry  (i4th  S.  M.)  

First      , 

^J.4 

17 

IOC 

2T7 

86th  Infantry        

Third        

268 

ii 

c  I 

66 

88th  Infantry  (2  companies).  .  .  . 

Second            

QO 

7 

17 

28 

Headquarters   

412 

94th  Infantry  

First  

44  c 

12 

c.8 

T7C 

2,1? 

First  

261 

7 

62 

46 

TIC 

First  

2CC 

12 

76 

78 

126 

[O2d    Infantry  

Twelfth    

248 

4 

17 

8 

First  

"3.OQ 

II 

Ql 

O'' 

IO4 

Twelfth    

•J.IO 

2 

2 

[OSth  Infantry    

Second    

•3OS  * 

16 

86 

IO2 

t  i^th  Infantry   

Second               . 

•3.OO 

c8 

177 

T/l 

ri/gth  Infantry    

Eleventh        .  . 

3OO 

ii 

7O 

[2Oth  Infantry    

Third  

427 

72 

IC4 

T7 

[2/st    Infantry  

Sixth   

47° 

2 

2 

t22fd     Infantry  ,  

Sixth   

4^6 

IO 

72 

2 

44 

[2gd     Infantry  ,. 

Twelfth    

4QC, 

3 

IO 

I 

14 

[24^h  Infantry   

Third  

27Q 

28 

c.-] 

c 

OO 

[25th  Infantry  

Second    

47O 

26 

IO4 

no 

[26t>h  Infantry  

Second        

CIQ 

4O 

181 

IO 

271 

I34th  Infantry  ...... 

Eleventh      .    . 

488 

42 

ICI 

Co 

2C2 

1  76th  .Infantry.  . 

Eleventh  .  . 

c,c,2 

17 

80 

7 

IOQ 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  109 

STRENGTH  AND  LOSSES  OF  NEW  YORK  TROOPS  AT  GETTYSBURG — (Concluded). 


ORGANIZATION. 

Corps. 

Present. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or  missing. 

Aggregate. 

Twelfth   

4.c6 

AO 

87 

Fifth    

S26 

26 

80 

18 

r37 

Twelfth    

2JC 

I 

X33 

Fifth    

t?.A 

°j 

oQ 

First  ,  

380 

60 

TJ.1 

Twelfth  

^IO 

6 

Ah 

y- 

Twelfth  

600 

7 

3 

55 

Eleventh  

27J. 

I 

T5 

TTS 

45 

431 

27 

166 

Third    

2IO 

I 

B 

3°7 

A 

Gregg's  Division.    . 

264 

Gregg's  Division.    . 

298 

Kilpatrick's  Divn    . 

468 

I 

Buford's  Division 

2^d 

I 

Q 

Buford's  Division    . 

62^ 

2 

Tfi 

T3 

Buford's  Division    . 

-3QC 

2 

40 

Gregg's  Division. 

TO2 

2 

117 

IO 

16 

9 
r?6 

Fifth    

62 

1st   Li^ht  Artillery    D  

Third     

116 

8 

TQ 

ist  Light  Artillery,  E  

First  .    

44. 

ist  Light  Artillery,  G  

Reserve  Artillery.  . 

84 

7 

Eleventh  

141 

-5 

IO 

ist   Light  Artillery,  K  

Reserve  Artillery.. 

40 

7 

ist   Light  Artillery    L  

First  

8n 

I 

ist   Light  Artillery,  M    

Twelfth    

07 

X7 

ist  Independent  Battery  

Sixth.  .    

III 

4 

8 

3~1    Independent  Battery  

Sixth  

IIQ 

4th  Independent  Battery  

Third  

JOC 

2 

5th  Independent  Battery  

Reserve  Artillery.  . 

146 

I 

2 

*3 

6th  Independent  Battery  

Cavalry  Corps.    ... 

III 

I 

loth  Independent  Battery  

Reserve  Artillery.. 

qS 

2 

q 

nth  Independent  Battery  

Reserve  Artillery.  . 

96 

I3th  Independent  Battery...... 

Eleventh  ... 

nS 

8 

Second    

I5th  Independent  Battery  

Reserve  Artillery.. 

7° 

3 

IT 

16 

0 

8 

Regular  Army  .... 

c 

Totals             

27.602 

080 

1,701 

»773 

ITINERARIES,    ROSTERS 


AND 


OF 


THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC 


AND 


THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA 


FOR 


THE  BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC 
GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN. 

June  5. —  The  Army  of  the  Potomac,  commanded  by  Maj.  Gen.  Joseph 
Hooker,  with  headquarters  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  was  posted  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  Rappahannock  River,  confronting  the  Confederate  Army  of  Northern  Vir 
ginia,  under  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee,  mainly  concentrated  about  the  town  of 
Fredericksburg,  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river.  The  several  commands  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  were  distributed  as  follows :  First  Corps,  in  the  vicinity 
of  White  Oak  Church;  Second  Corps,  near  Falmouth;  Third  Corps,  at  Bos- 
cobel,  near  Falmouth;  Fifth  Corps,  in  the  vicinity  of  Banks',  United  States,  and 
adjacent  fords  on  the  Rappahannock;  Sixth  Corps,  near  White  Oak  Church, 
with  the  Second  Division  thrown  forward  to  Franklin's  Crossing  of  the  Rappa 
hannock,  a  little  below  Fredericksburg,  near  the  mouth  of  Deep  Run;  Eleventh 
Corps,  near  Brooke's  Station,  on  the  Aquia  Creek  Railroad;  and  the  Twelfth 
Corps,  near  Stafford  Court  House  and  Aquia  Landing.  The  Cavalry  Corps,  with 
headquarters  at  Manassas  Junction,  had  two  divisions  (Dume's  and  Gregg's) 
and  the  Cavalry  Reserve  Brigade,  all  under  Buford,  in  the  vicinity  of  Warrenton 
Junction,  and  one  division  (B.  F.  Davis')  in  the  neighborhood  of  Brooke's 
Station.  The  Artillery  Reserve  was  near  Falmouth. 

June  6. —  Howe's  Division,  Sixth  Army  Corps,  crossed  the  Rappahannock 
at  Franklin's  Crossing,  and,  after  a  skirmish,  occupied  the  enemy's  rifle  pits. 
Wright's  and  Newton's  Divisions  of  the  same  corps  moved  to  the  same  point 
from  White  Oak  Church,  taking  position  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river. 

June  7. —  Wright's  Division,  Sixth  Corps,  was  sent  across  the  Rappahan 
nock  at  Franklin's  Crossing,  relieving  Howe's  Division,  which  returned  to  the 
north  side. 

June  8. —  The  Cavalry  Corps  (Pleasanton's),  consisting  of  Buford's,  D.  McM. 
Gregg's,  and  Duffie's  Divisions,  and  the  Regular  Reserve  Brigade,  supported 
by  detachments  of  infantry,  under  Gens.  Adelbert  Ames  and  David  A.  Rus 
sell,  moved  to  Kelly's  and  Beverly  Fords,  preparatory  to  crossing  the  Rappa 
hannock  on  a  reconnoissance  towards  Culpeper. 

June  9. —  Newton's  Division,  Sixth  Corps,  relieved  Wright's  Division  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Rappahannock  at  Franklin's  Crossing.  The  Cavalry  Corps, 
supported  by  Generals  Ames'  and  Russell's  infantry,  crossed  the  Rappahan 
nock  at  Kelly's  and  Beverly  Fords,  fought  the  enemy  at  or  near  Beverly  Ford, 
Brandy  Station,  and  Stevensburg,  and  recrossed  the  river  at  Rappahannock 
Station  and  Beverly  Ford.  (Battle  of  Beverly  Ford.} 

June  10. —  The  Cavalry  Corps  took  position  in  the  neighborhood  of  Warren- 
ton  Junction.  Its  infantry  supports  in  the  reconnoissance  of  the  day  previous 
rejoined  their  respective  commands.  Howe's  Division,  Sixth  Corps,  moved 
from  Franklin's  Crossing  to  Aquia  Creek. 

June  ii. —  The  Third  Corps  marched  from  Boscobel,  near  Falmouth,  to 
HarUvood  Church. 
8 


H4  .NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

June  12. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Fitzhugh's  Plantation  and  White 
Oak  Church  to  Deep  Run;  the  Third  Corps  from  Hartwood  Church  to  Beale- 
ton,  with  Humphreys'  Division,  advanced  to  the  Rappahannock;  the  Eleventh 
Corps  from  the  vicinity  of  Brooke's  Station  to  Hartwood  Church;  and  head 
quarters  Cavalry  Corps  from  Manassas  Junction  to  Warrenton  Junction. 

The  advance  of  the  Confederate  army  skirmished  with  the  Union  troops  at 
Newtown,  Cedarville,  and  Middletown,  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

June  13. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Deep  Run  to  Bealeton;  the  Fifth 
Corps  from  the  vicinity  of  Banks'  Ford,  via  Grove  Church,  towards  Morris- 
ville;  Wright's  and  Newton's  Divisions,  Sixth  Corps,  from  Franklin's  Crossing 
to  Potomac  Creek;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Hartwood  Church  to  Catlett's 
Station;  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  near  Stafford  Court  House  and  Aquia  Creek 
Landing  en  route  to  Dumfries;  Wyndham's  Brigade  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division 
from  Warrenton  Junction  to  Warrenton;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  near 
Falmouth  to  Stafford  Court  House.  McReynold's  Brigade,  of  Milroy's  Divis 
ion,  Eighth  Army  Corps,  marched  from  Berryville  to  Winchester.  (Cavalry 
fighting  at  Opequon  Creek,  and  at  Bunker  Hill;  battle  of  Winchester,  Va.} 

June  14. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  near  Falmouth 
to  Dumfries;  the  First  and  Third  Corps  marched  from  Bealeton  to  Manassas 
Junction;  the  Fifth  Corps  arrived  at  Morrisville,  and  marched  thence,  via 
Bristersburg,  to  Catlett's  Station;  Wright's  and  Newton's  Divisions,  Sixth 
Corps,  moved  from  Potomac  Creek  to  Stafford  Court  House;  the  Eleventh 
Corps  from  Catlett's  Station  to  Manassas  Junction,  and  thence  towards  Centre- 
ville;  the  Twelfth  Corps  reached  Dumfries;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve  moved 
from  Stafford  Court  House  to  Wolf  Run  Shoals.  Daniel  Tyler's  command,  of 
the  Eighth  Army  Corps,  fell  back  from  Martinsburg  to  Maryland  Heights. 
(Cavalry  fighting  at  Martinsburg,  and  battle  [second  day]  at  Winchester,  Va.} 

June  15. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Dumfries  to 
Fairfax  Station;  the  Second  Corps  moved  from  Falmouth  to  near  Aquia;  the 
Fifth  Corps  from  Catlett's  Station,  via  Bristoe  Station,  to  Manassas  Junction; 
the  Sixth  Corps  from  Aquia  Creek  and  Stafford  Court  House  to  Dumfries; 
the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Dumfries  to  Fairfax  Court  House;  the  Cavalry  Corps 
(except  Wyndham's  Brigade,  which  marched  from  Warrenton  to  Manassas 
Junction,  and  thence  on  the  i6th  to  Union  Mills)  from  Warrenton  Junction  to 
Union  Mills  and  Bristoe  Station;  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Wolf  Run  Shoals 
to  Fairfax  Court  House;  and  the  Eleventh  Corps  arrived  at  Centreville.  Mil 
roy's  Division,  of  the  Eighth  Army  Corps,  evacuated  Winchester,  and  fell  back 
to  Maryland  Heights  and  Hancock,  Md.  (Battle  [third  day]  at  Winchester,  Va?) 

June  16. —  The  Second  Corps  marched  from  near  Aquia,  via  Dumfries,  to 
Wolf  Run  Shoals,  on  the  Occoquan ;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Dumfries  to  Fairfax 
Station;  and  the  Cavalry  Corps  from  Union  Mills  and  Bristoe  Station  to 
Manassas  Junction  and  Bull  Run. 

June  17. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Manassas  Junction  to  Herndon 
Station;  the  Second  Corps  from  Wolf  Run  Shoals  to  Sangster's  Station;  the 
Third  Corps  from  Manassas  Junction  to  Centreville;  the  Fifth  Corps  from 
Manassas  Junction  to  Gum  Springs;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Centreville  to 
Cow  Horn  Ford,  or  Trappe  Rock,  on  Goose  Creek;  and  the  Twelfth  Corps 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  115 

from  Fairfax  Court  House  to  near  Draneeville.  The  Cavalry  Corps  moved 
from  Manassas  Junction  and  Bull  Run  to  Aldie.  (Cavalry  battle  at  Aldie,  Va.} 

June  1 8. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Fairfax  Station 
to  Fairfax  Court  House;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Fairfax  Station  to  German- 
town;  and  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  near  Dranesville  to  Leesburg.  J.  I.  Gregg's 
Cavalry  Brigade  advanced  from  Aldie  to  Middleburg,  and  returned  to  a  point 
midway  between  the  two  places.  (Cavalry  fighting  at  Middleburg,  Va.} 

June  19. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Herndon  Station  to  Guilford 
Station;  the  Third  Corps  from  Centreville  to  Gum  Springs;  and  the  Fifth  Corps 
from  Gum  Springs  to  Aldie.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  except  Mclntosh's 
(late  Wyndham's)  Brigade,  advanced  to  Middleburg.  Mclntosh's  Brigade 
moved  from  Aldie  to  Hay  Market.  (Cavalry  engagement  at  Middleburg,  Va.} 

June  20. —  The  Second  Corps  moved  from  Sangster's  Station  to  Centreville, 
and  thence  towards  Thoroughfare  Gap;  the  Second  Division  (Howe's),  Sixth 
Corps,  from  Germantown  to  Bristoe  Station. 

June  21. —  The  Second  Corps  arrived  at  Gainesville  and  Thoroughfare  Gap. 
The  Cavalry  Corps  (except  Mclntosh's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Division),  sup 
ported  by  Barnes'  Division,  Fifth  Corps,  marched  from  Aldie  and  Middleburg 
to  Upperville.  Mclntosh's  Cavalry  Brigade  marched  from  Hay  Market  to 
Aldie,  and  thence  to  Upperville.  Stahel's  Division  of  Cavalry,  from  the  de 
fences  of  Washington,  moved  from  Fairfax  Court  House,  via  Centreville  and 
Gainesville,  to  Buckland  Mills.  (Cavalry  fight  at  Upperville,  Va.} 

June  22. —  The  Cavalry  Corps  and  Barnes'  Division,  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  re 
turned  from  Upperville  to  Aldie.  Stahel's  Cavalry  Division  moved  from  Buck- 
land  Mills,  via  New  Baltimore,  to  Warrenton.  (Skirmishing  at  Aldie,  Va.,  and 
Greencastle,  Pa.} 

June  23. —  Stahel's  Cavalry  Division  moved  from  Warrenton,  via  Gainesville, 
to  Fairfax  Court  House. 

June  24. —  Newton's  Division,  Sixth  Corps,  moved  from  Germantown  to 
Centreville,  and  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Cow  Horn  Ford,  or  Trappe  Rock, 
on  Goose  Creek,  to  the  south  bank  of  the  Potomac,  at  Edwards  Ferry.  Stahel's 
Cavalry  Division  moved  from  Fairfax  Court  House  to  near  Dranesville. 

June  25. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Guilford  Station,  Va.,  to  Barnes- 
ville,  Md.;  the  Third  Corps  from  Gum  Springs,  Va.,  to  the  north  side  of  the 
Potomac,  at  Edwards  Ferry  and  the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy;  the  Eleventh 
Corps  from  Edwards  Ferry,  Va.,  to  Jefferson,  Md. ;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve 
from  Fairfax  Court  House,  Va.,  to  near  Poolesville,  Md.  These  commands 
crossed  the  Potomac  at  Edwards  Ferry.  The  Second  Corps  marched  from 
Thoroughfare  Gap  and  Gainesville  to  Gum  Springs.  Howe's  Division,  Sixth 
Corps,  moved  from  Bristoe  Station  to  Centreville;  Crawford's  Division  (two 
brigades)  of  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  from  the  defences  of  Washington,  marched 
from  Fairfax  Station  and  Upton's  Hill  to  Vienna.  Stannard's  Vermont  Brig 
ade,  from  the  defences  of  Washington,  left  the  mouth  of  the  Occoquan  en 
route  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Stahel's  Cavalry  Division  moved  from 
near  Dranesville,  Va.,  via  Young's  Island  Ford,  on  the  Potomac,  en  route  to 
Frederick,  Md. 


n6  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

June  26. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Fairfax  Court 
House,  Va.,  via  Dranesville  and  Edwards  Ferry,  to  Poolesville,  Md.;  the  First 
Corps  from  Barnesville  to  Jefferson,  Md.;  the  Second  Corps  from  Gum  Springs, 
Va.,  to  the  north  side  of  the  Potomac,  at  Edwards  Ferry;  the  Third  Corps  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy  to  Point  of  Rocks,  Md.;  the  Fifth  Corps  from 
Aldie,  Va.,  via  Carter's  Mills,  Leesburg,  and  Edwards  Ferry,  to  within  four 
miles  of  the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy,  Md.;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Germantown 
and  Centreville  to  Dranesville,  Va.;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from*  Jeff erson  to  Mid- 
dletown,  Md.;  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Leesburg,  Va.,  via  Edwards  Ferry,  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy,  Md.;  and  the  Cavalry  Corps  (Buford's  and  Gregg's 
Divisions)  from  Aldie  to  Leesburg,  Va.  Stahel's  Cavalry  Division  was  en  route 
between  the  Potomac  and  Frederick,  Md.  Crawford's  Pennsylvania  Reserves 
moved  from  Vienna  to  Goose  Creek,  Va.  (Pennsylvania  militia  engaged  in  skir 
mish  near  Gettysburg,  Pa.) 

June  27. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Poolesville  to 
Frederick,  Md. ;  the  First  Corps  from  Jefferson  to  Middletown,  Md.;  the  Second 
Corps  from  near  Edwards  Ferry,  via  Poolesville,  to  Barnesville,  Md. ;  the  Third 
Corps  from  Point  of  Rocks,  via  Jefferson,  to  Middletown,  Md. ;  the  Fifth  Corps 
from  a  point  between  Edwards  Ferry  and  the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy  to  Bal- 
linger's  Creek,  near  Frederick,  Md.;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Dranesville,  Va., 
via  Edwards  Ferry,  to  near  Poolesville,  Md. ;  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Monocacy,  via  Point  of  Rocks,  to  Knoxville,  Md.;  Buford's 
Cavalry  Division  from  Leesburg,  Va.,  via  Edwards  Ferry,  to  near  Jefferson, 
Md.;  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division  from  Leesburg,  Va.,  via  Edwards  Ferry,  to 
wards  Frederick,  Md.;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Poolesville  to  Frederick, 
Md.  Stahel's  Cavalry  Division  reached  Frederick,  Md.  Crawford's  Pennsyl 
vania  Reserves  moved  from  Goose  Creek,  Va.,  via  Edwards  Ferry,  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Monocacy,  Md. 

June  28. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Middletown  to  Frederick;  the 
Second  Corps  from  Barnesville  to  Monocacy  Junction;  the  Third  Corps  from 
Middletown  to  near  Woodsborough;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  near  Poolesville  to 
Hyattstown;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Middletown  to  near  Frederick,  and  the 
Twelfth  Corps  from  Knoxville  to  Frederick.  Buford's  Cavalry  Division  moved 
from  near  Jefferson  to  Middletown;  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division  reached  Fred 
erick,  and  marched  thence  to  New  Market  and  Ridgeville.  Crawford's  Pennsyl 
vania  Reserves  marched  from  the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy,  and  joined  the  Fifth 
Corps  at  Ballinger's  Creek.  Stahel's  Cavalry  Division  was  assigned  to  the 
Cavalry  Corps,  as  the  Third  Division,  under  Brig.  Gen.  Judson  Kilpatrick,  with 
Brig.  Gen.  Elon  J.  Farnsworth  commanding  the  First  Brigade  and  Brig.  Gen. 
George  A.  Custer  commanding  the  Second  Brigade.  (Skirmishing  near  Rock- 
ville,  Md.,  and  at  Wrightsvillc,  Pa.} 

June  29. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  moved  from  Frederick  to 
Middleburg;  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps  from  Frederick  to  Emmitsburg;  the 
Second  Corps  from  Monocacy  Junction,  via  Liberty  and  Johnsville,  to  Union- 
town;  the  Third  Corps  from  near  Woodsborough  to  Taneytown;  the  Fifth 
Corps  from  Ballinger's  Creek,  via  Frederick  and  Mount  Pleasant,  to  Liberty; 
the  Sixth  Corps  from  Hyattstown,  via  New  Market  and  Ridgeville,  to  New 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  IT~ 

Windsor;  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Frederick  to  Taneytown  and  Bruceville; 
Gamble's  and  Devin's  Brigades,  of  Buford's  Cavalry  Division,  from  Middle- 
town,  via  Boonsborough,  Cavetown,  and  Monterey  Springs,  to  near  Fairfield; 
Merritt's  Reserve  Cavalry  Brigade,  of  the  same  division,  from  Middletown  to 
Mechanicstown;  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division  from  New  Market  and  Ridgeville 
to  New  Windsor;  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division  from  Frederick  to  Littlestown; 
and  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Frederick  to  Bruceville.  (Skirmishing  at  West 
minister,  Md.} 

June  30. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Middleburg  to 
Taneytown;  the  First  Corps  from  Emmitsburg  to  Marsh  Run;  the  Third  Corps 
from  Taneytown  to  Bridgeport;  the  Fifth  Corps  from  Liberty,  via  Johnsville, 
Union  Bridge,  and  Union,  to  Union  Mills;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  New  Windsor 
to  Manchester;  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Taneytown  and  Bruceville  to  Littles- 
town;  Gamble's  and  Devin's  Brigades,  of  Buford's  Cavalry  Division,  from  near 
Fairfield,  via  Emmitsburg,  to  Gettysburg;  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division  from  New 
Windsor  to  Westminster,  and  thence  to  Manchester;  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Divis 
ion,  from  Littlestown  to  Hanover;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Bruceville 
to  Taneytown.  Kenly's  and  Morris's  Brigades,  of  French's  Division,  left 
Maryland  Heights  for  Frederick,  and  Elliott's  and  Smith's  Brigades,  of  the 
same  division,  moved  from  the  Heights,  by  way  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio 
Canal,  for  Washington.  (Cavalry  fight  at  Hanover,  Pa.,  and  skirmish  near  Har- 
risburg,  Pa.) 

July  i. —  The  First  Corps  moved  from  Marsh  Run,  and  the  Eleventh  Corps 
from  Emmitsburg  to  Gettysburg;  the  Second  Corps,  from  Uniontown,  via  Ta 
neytown,  to  near  Gettysburg;  the  Third  Corps  from  Bridgeport,  via  Emmits 
burg,  to  the  field  of  Gettysburg;  the  Fifth  Corps  from  Union  Mills,  via  Hanover 
arid  McSherrystown,  to  Bonaughtown;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Manchester  en 
route  to  Gettysburg;  and  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Littlestown,  via  Two  Taverns, 
to  the  field  of  Gettysburg.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division  marched  from  Manchester 
to  Hanover  Junction,  whence  Mclntosh's  and  J.  I.  Gregg's  Brigades  proceeded 
to  Hanover,  while  Huey's  Brigade  returned  to  Manchester.  Kilpatrick's 
Cavalry  Division  moved  from  Hanover,  via  Abbottsville,  to  Berlin;  and  the 
Artillery  Reserve  (Ransom's  and  Fitzhugh's  Brigades)  from  Taneytown  to  near 
Gettysburg.  Stannard's  Vermont  Brigade,  from  the  defences  of  Washington, 
joined  the  First  Corps  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg.  W.  F.  Smith's  Division, 
of  the  Department  of  the  Susquehanna,  marched  from  the  vicinity  of  Harris- 
burg  to  Carlisle.  Kenly's  and  Morris'  Brigades  of  French's  Division  reached 
Frederick.  (Battle  of  Gettysburg  [first  day],  and  skirmish  at  Carlisle,  Pa.} 

July  2. —  The  Second,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Corps,  Lockwood's  Brigade,  from 
the  Middle  Department,  Mclntosh's  and  J.  I.  Gregg's  Brigades,  of  D.  McM. 
Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division,  and  the  Artillery 
Reserve,  reached  the  field  of  Gettysburg.  Gamble's  and  Devin's  Brigades,  of 
Buford's  Cavalry  Division,  marched  from  Gettysburg  to  Taneytown,  and  Mer 
ritt's  Reserve  Brigade  from  Mechanicstown  to  Emmitsburg.  (Battle  of  Gettys 
burg  [second  day].} 

July  3. —  Gamble's  and  Devin's  Brigades,  of  Buford's  Cavalry  Division, 
moved  from  Taneytown  to  Westminster;  Merritt's  Reserve  Brigade  from  Em- 


n8  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

mitsburg  to  the  field  of  Gettysburg;  and  Huey's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry 
Division,  from  Manchester  to  Westminster.  (Battle  of  Gettysburg  [third  day}, 
and  cavalry  affair  at  F airfield,  Pa.} 

July  4. —  Gamble's  and  Devin's  Brigades,  of  Buford's  Cavalry  Division, 
marched  from  Westminster,  and  Merritt's  Reserve  Brigade  from  Gettysburg, 
en  route  to  Frederick;  Huey's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  from  West 
minster,  via  Emmitsburg,  to  Monterey;  J.  I.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Brigade  from 
Gettysburg  to  Hunterstown;  and  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division  from  Gettys 
burg,  via  Emmitsburg,  to  Monterey.  Smith's  Division,  of  Couch's  command, 
moved  from  Carlisle,  via  Mount  Holly,  to  Pine  Grove,  and  the  remainder  of 
Couch's  troops  from  the  vicinity  of  Harrisburg  towards  Shippensburg  and 
Chambersburg.  Elliott's  and  Smith's  Brigades,  of  French's  Division,  arrived 
at  Washington  from  Maryland  Heights,  and  moved  to  Tennallytown.  Morris' 
Brigade,  of  French's  Division,  marched  from  Frederick  to  Turner's  Gap,  in 
South  Mountain.  (Cavalry  action  at,  Monterey  Gap,  Pa.,  and  skirmishes  at  Fair- 
field  Gap,  Pa.,  and  near  Emmitsburg,  Md.) 

July  5. —  Leaving  Gettysburg,  the  Second  Corps  marched  to  Two  Taverns; 
the  Fifth  Corps  to  Marsh  Run;  the  Sixth  Corps  to  Fairfield;  the  Eleventh  Corps 
to  Rock  Creek;  the  Twelfth  Corps  to  Littlestown;  Mclntosh's  Brigade,  of 
Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  to  Emmitsburg;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve  to  Littles- 
town.  Buford's  Cavalry  Division  reached  Frederick.  J.  I.  Gregg's  Cavalry 
Brigade  moved  from  Hunterstown  to  Greenwood.  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division 
and  Huey's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  marched  from  Monterey,  via 
Smithsburg,  to  Boonsborough.  (Cavalry  affairs  at  Smithsburg,  Md.,  Fairfield, 
and  Greencastle,  Pa.) 

July  6. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Gettysburg  to  Emmitsburg;  the 
Fifth  Corps  from  Marsh  Run  to  Moritz's  Cross  Roads;  the  Sixth  Corps  from 
Fairfield  to  Emmitsburg,  except  Neill's  Brigade,  of  Howe's  Division,  which, 
in  conjunction  with  Mclntosh's  Brigade  of  cavalry,  was  left  at  Fairfield  to 
pursue  the  enemy;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Rock  Creek  to  Emmitsburg;  Bu 
ford's  Cavalry  Division  from  Frederick  to  Williamsport  and  thence  back  to 
Jones'  Cross  Roads;  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division  and  Huey's  Brigade,  of 
Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  from  Boonsborough,  via  Hagerstown  and  Williams- 
port,  to  Jones'  Cross  Roads;  Mclntosh's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division, 
from  Emmitsburg  to  Fairfield;  and  J.  I.  Gregg's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry 
Division,  from  Greenwood  to  Marion.  Smith's  Division,  of  Couch's  command, 
moved  from  Pine  Grove  to  Newman's  Pass.  Kenly's  Brigade,  of  French's 
Division,  marched  from  Frederick  en  route  to  Maryland  Heights.  Elliott's  and 
Smith's  Brigades,  of  French's  Division,  left  Tennallytown,  via  Washington 
and  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad,  en  route  to  Frederick.  (Cavalry  fighting 
at  Hagerstown,  and  Williamsport,  Md.) 

July  7. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Gettysburg  to 
Frederick;  the  First  Corps  from  Emmitsburg  to  Hamburg;  the  Second  Corps 
from  Two  Taverns  to  Taneytown;  the  Third  Corps  from  Gettysburg,  via  Em 
mitsburg,  to  Mechanicstown;  the  Fifth  Corps  from  Moritz's  Cross  Roads,  via 
Emmitsburg,  to  Utica;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Emmitsburg  to  Mountain  Pass, 
near  Hamburg;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Emmitsburg  to  Middletown;  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  119 

Twelfth  Corps  from  Littlestown  to  Walkersville;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve 
from  Littlestown  to  Woodsborough.  Buford's  and  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Divis 
ions  and  Huey's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  moved  from  Jones' 
Cross  Roads  to  Boonsborough.  J.  I.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Brigade  was  moving 
en  route  from  Chambersburg  to  Middletown.  Mclntosh's  Brigade  of  cavalry 
and  Neill's  Brigade,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  moved  from  Fairfield  to  Waynes- 
borough.  Smith's  Division,  of  Couch's  command,  marched  from  Newman's 
Pass  to  Altodale.  Kenly's  Brigade,  of  French's  Division,  with  other  troops 
forwarded  by  Schenck  from  Baltimore,  reoccupied  Maryland  Heights.  Elliott's 
and  Smith's  Brigades  of  French's  Division,  reached  Frederick  from  Washing 
ton.  (Skirmishes  at  Downsville  and  Funkstown,  Md.) 

July  8. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Frederick  to 
Middletown ;  the  First  Corps  from  Hamburg  to  Turner's  Gap,  in  South  Moun 
tain;  the  Second  Corps  from  Taneytown  to  Frederick;  the  Third  Corps  from 
Mechanicstown  to  a  point  three  miles  southwest  of  Frederick;  the  Fifth  Corps 
from  Utica  to  Middletown;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Middletown  to  Turner's 
Gap,  in  South  Mountain,  Schurz's  Division  being  advanced  to  Boonsborough; 
the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Walkersville  to  Jefferson;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve 
from  Woodsborough  to  Frederick.  J.  I.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Brigade  was  moving 
en  route  from  Chambersburg  to  Middletown.  Smith's  Division,  of  Couch's 
command,  moved  from  Altodale  to  Waynesborough.  Campbell's  and  Mul 
ligan's  Brigades,  of  Kelley's  command,  Department  of  West  Virginia,  were 
concentrated  at  Hancock,  whence  they  moved  to  Fairview,  on  North  Mountain. 
(Cavalry  action  at  Boonsborough,  Md.) 

July  9. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Middletown  to 
Turner's  Gap;  the  Second  Corps  from  Frederick  to  Rohrersville;  the  Third 
Corps  from  near  Frederick  to  Fox's  Gap,  in  South  Mountain;  the  Fifth  Corps 
from  Middletown,  via  Fox's  Gap,  to  near  Boonsborough;  the  Sixth  Corps  from 
Middletown  to  Boonsborough;  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Jefferson  to  Rohrers 
ville;  and  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Frederick  to  Boonsborough.  J.  I.  Gregg's 
Cavalry  Brigade  reached  Middletown  from  Chambersburg.  Elliott's  and 
Smith's  Brigades,  of  French's  Division,  marched  from  Frederick  to  Middletown. 
(Skirmish  at  Benez'ola,  Md.) 

July  10. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Turner's  Gap 
to  Beaver  Creek,  beyond  Boonsborough;  the  First  Corps  from  Turner's  Gap 
to  Beaver  Creek,  where  it  was  joined  by  Kenly's  Brigade,  of  French's  Division, 
from  Maryland  Heights;  the  Second  Corps  from  Rohrersville  to  near  Tilgh- 
manton ;  the  Third  Corps  from  Fox's  Gap  through  Boonsborough,  to  Antietam 
Creek,  in  the  vicinity  of  Jones'  Cross  Roads,  where  it  was  joined  by  Elliott's 
and  Smith's  Brigades,  of  French's  Division,  which  marched  from  Middletown, 
and  Morris'  Brigade,  of  the  same  division,  which  marched  from  Turner's  Gap; 
the  Fifth  Corps  from  near  Boonsborough  to  Delaware  Mills,  on  Antietam 
Creek;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Boonsborough  to  Beaver  Creek;  the  Eleventh 
Corps  from  Turner's  Gap  to  Beaver  Creek;  and  the  Twelfth  Corps  from 
Rohrersville  to  Bakersville.  Buford's  and  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Divisions  moved 
from  Boonsborough  to  Funkstown;  Huey's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Divis 
ion,  from  Boonsborough  to  Jones'  Cross  Roads,  and  Mclntosh's  Cavalry  Brig- 


120 


i\Ew  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


ade  from  Waynesb orough,  via  Smithsburg  and  Leitersburg,  to  Old  Antietam 
Forge,  and  back  to  Waynesborough.  (Skirmishes  at  Hagerstozvn,  Jones'  Cross 
Roads,  and  Funkstown,  Md.} 

July  ii. —  The  Second  Corps  moved  from  near  Tilghmanton  to  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Jones'  Cross  Roads;  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Bakersville  to  Fair  Play 
and  Jones'  Cross  Roads;  Gamble's  and  Devin's  Brigades,  of  Buford's  Cavalry 
Division,  from  Funkstown  to  Bakersville;  J.  I.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Brigade  from 
Middletown  to  Boonsborough;  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division  from  Funkstown 
to  near  Hagerstown;  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Boonsborough  to  Benevola; 
Neill's  Brigade,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  and  Smith's  Division,  of  Couch's  command, 
from  Waynesborough  to  Leitersburg.  (Skirmishes  at  Hagerstown,  Jones'  Cross 
Roads,  and  Funkstown,  Md.} 

July  12. —  The  First,  Sixth,  and  Eleventh  Corps  moved  from  Beaver  Creek 
to  Funkstown;  Mclntosh's  Cavalry  Brigade  from  Waynesborough,  via  Leiters 
burg,  to  Boonsborough;  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division  and  Ames'  Division, 
Eleventh  Corps,  occupied  Hagerstown;  Neill's  Brigade,  of  the  Sixth  Corps, 
moved  from  Leitersburg  to  Funkstown,  where  it  rejoined  its  corps;  Smith's 
Division  (except  one  brigade,  left  at  Waynesborough)  from  Leitersburg  to 
Cavetown;  Dana's  Division,  of  Couch's  command,  from  Chambersburg  to 
Greencastle;  and  Averell's  Cavalry  Brigade,  Department  of  West  Virginia, 
from  Cumberland  en  route  to  Fairview.  (Skirmishes  at  Hagerstown,  Jones'  Cross 
Roads,  and  Funkstown,  Md.} 

July  13. —  The  Sixth  Corps  moved  from  Funkstown  to  the  vicinity  of  Hagers 
town;  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Benevola  to  Jones'  Cross  Roads,  two  brigades 
remaining  at  the  latter  place  and  the  others  returning  to  Benevola;  Smith's 
Division,  of  Couch's  command,  from  Waynesborough  and  Cavetown  to  Hagers 
town  and  Beaver  Creek.  Averell's  Cavalry  Brigade  joined  Kelley's  Infantry  at 
Fairview.  (Skirmishes  at  Hagerstown,  Jones'  Cross  Roads,  and  Funkstown,  Md.) 

July  14. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Funkstown  to  Williamsport;  the 
Second  Corps  from  near  Jones'  Cross  Roads  to  near  Falling  Waters;  the  Third 
Corps  from  Antietam  Creek,  near  Jones'  Cross  Roads,  across  Marsh  Creek; 
the  Fifth  Corps  from  the  vicinity  of  Roxbury  Mills,  on  Antietam  Creek,  to 
near  Williamsport;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  the  neighborhood  of  Hagerstown  to 
Williamsport;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Funkstown,  via  Hagerstown,  to  Wil 
liamsport;  and  Williams'  Division,  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  from  Jones'  Cross 
Roads  to  near  Falling  Waters,  and  thence  to  near  Williamsport.  Buford's 
Cavalry  Division  moved  from  Bakersville  to  Falling  Waters;  Mclntosh's  and 
J.  I.  Gregg's  Brigades,  of  D.  McM.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  from  Boons- 
borough  to  Harper's  Ferry;  Huey's  Brigade,  of  the  same  division,  from  Jones' 
Cross  Roads,  via  Williamsport,  to  Falling  Waters;  and  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry 
Division  from  Hagerstown,  via  Williamsport,  to  Falling  Waters.  Kelley's 
command,  Department  of  West  Virginia,  marched  from  Fairview  to  Williams- 
port.  (Cavalry  fight  at  Falling  Waters,  Md.,  and  skirmishing  at  Williamsport, 
Md.,  and  Harper's  Ferry,  W.  Va.} 

July  15. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Beaver  Creek 
to  Berlin;  the  First  Corps  from  Williamsport  to  Rohrersville;  the  Second  Corps 
from  near  Falling  Waters  to  near  Sandy  Hook;  the  Third  Corps  from  Marsh 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  121 

Creek  to  near  Burnside's  Bridge,  on  the  Antietam;  the  Fifth  Corps  from  near 
Williamsport  to  Burkittsville;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  Williamsport  to  Boons- 
borough;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Williamsport,  via  Hagerstown,  to  Middle- 
town;  and  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Fair  Play  and  near  Williamsport  to  Sandy 
Hook.  Two  brigades  of  the  Artillery  Reserve  moved  from  Jones'  Cross  Roads, 
and,  joining  the  remainder  of  the  reserve  at  Benevola,  the  whole  command 
marched  thence,  via  Middletown,  to  Berlin.  Buford's  Cavalry  Division  moved 
from  Falling  Waters  to  Berlin;  Mclntosh's  and  J.  I.  Gregg's  Brigades,  of  D. 
McM.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  from  Harper's  Ferry,  via  Halltown,  to  Shep 
herdstown;  Huey's  Brigade,  of  same  division,  from  Falling  Waters  to  Boons- 
borough;  and  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division  from  Falling  Waters,  via  Williams- 
port  and  Hagerstown,  to  Boonsborough.  Kelley's  command,  Department  of 
West  Virginia,  marched  from  Williamsport  to  Indian  Springs. 

July  1 6. —  The  First  Corps  marched  from  Rohrersville  to  near  Berlin;  the 
Third  Corps  from  Burnside's  Bridge  to  Pleasant  Valley,  near  Sandy  Hook; 
the  Fifth  Corps  from  Burkittsville,  via  Petersville,  to  near  Berlin;  the  Sixth 
Corps  from  Boonsborough  to  near  Berlin;  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Middle- 
town,  via  Jefferson,  to  Berlin;  and  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Sandy  Hook  to 
Pleasant  Valley.  Buford's  Cavalry  Division  moved  from  Berlin  to  Petersville; 
Huey's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division,  from  Boonsborough,  via  Har 
per's  Ferry,  to  Shepherdstown;  and  Kilpatrick's  Division  from  Boonsborough 
to  Berlin,  whence  De  Forest's  Brigade  proceeded  to  Harper's  Ferry.  (Fight 
ing  at  Shepherdstown,  VV .  Va.} 

July  17. —  The  Third  Corps  moved  from  near  Sandy  Hook,  crossed  the  Po 
tomac  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  proceeded  to  a  point  three  miles  south  of  the 
Ferry;  the  Fifth  Corps  moved  from  near  Berlin  to  Lovettsville,  crossing  the 
Potomac  at  Berlin.  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division  marched  from  Shepherdstown 
to  Harper's  Ferry;  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry  Division  from  Berlin  and  Harper's 
Ferry  to  Purcellville,  Custer's  Brigade  crossing  the  Potomac  at  Berlin,  and  De 
Forest's  Brigade  the  Shenandoah  at  Harper's  Ferry.  Kelley's  command,  De 
partment  of  West  Virginia,  moved  from  Indian  Springs,  Md.,  to  Hedgesville, 
W.  Va.,  crossing  the  Potomac  at  Cherry  Run. 

July  18. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Berlin,  Md.,  to 
Lovettsville,  Va. ;  the  First  Corps  from  near  Berlin  to  Waterford,  crossing  the 
Potomac  at  Berlin;  the  Second  Corps  from  near  Sandy  Hook  to  Hillsborough, 
crossing  the  Potomac  and  Shenandoah  Rivers  at  Harper's  Ferry;  the  Third 
Corps  from  near  Harper's  Ferry  to  Hillsborough;  the  Fifth  Corps  from  Lovetts 
ville  to  near  Purcellville;  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Berlin  to  Wheatland;  and 
Buford's  Cavalry  Division  from  Petersville  to  Purcellville,  crossing  the  Potomac 
at  Berlin. 

July  19. —  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  from  Lovettsville  to 
Wheatland;  the  First  Corps  from  Waterford  to  Hamilton;  the  Second  and 
Third  Corps  from  Hillsborough  to  Wood  Grove;  the  Fifth  Corps  from  near 
Purcellville  to  a  point  on  the  road  to  Philomont;  the  Sixth  Corps  from  near 
Berlin  to  Wheatland,  and  the  Eleventh  Corps  from  Berlin  to  near  Hamilton, 
both  corps  crossing  the  Potomac  at  Berlin;  the  Artillery  Reserve  from  Wheat- 


122  MEW   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

land  to  Purcellville;  and  the  Twelfth  Corps  from  Pleasant  Valley  to  near  Hills- 
borough,  crossing  the  Potomac  and  Shenandoah  Rivers  at  Harper's  Ferry. 
Buford's  Cavalry  Division  moved  from  Purcellville,  via  Philomont,  to  near 
Rector's  Cross  Roads.  Mclntosh's  Brigade,  of  Gregg's  Cavalry  Division, 
moved  from  Harper's  Ferry  towards  Hillsborough,  and  Huey's  and  J.  I. 
Gregg's  Brigades,  of  the  same  division,  from  Harper's  Ferry  to  Lovettsville. 
Kilpatrick's  Division  of  cavalry  marched  from  Purcellville  to  Upperville.  Kel- 
ley's  command,  Department  of  West  Virginia,  fell  back  from  Hedgesville  to  the 
Maryland  side  of  the  Potomac  at  Cherry  Run. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  123 


NEW  YORK  OFFICERS  ON  DUTY  AT  HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY 
OF  THE  POTOMAC,  AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG,  AS 
SHOWN  BY  RETURN  OF  JUNE  30,  1863. 


*Maj.  Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield,  U.  S.  V Chief  of  Staff. 

*Brig.  Gen.  Gouverneur  K.  Warren,  U.  S.  V...       Engineer  Department. 

Brig.  Gen.  Marsena  R.   Patrick,  U.  S.  V Provost-Marshal's  General. 

Col.  George  H.  Sharpe,  i2Oth  N.  Y.  Vols....  Provost-Marshal's  Department. 

Col.  Edmund  Schriver,  U.  S.  V Inspector-General. 

Lt.  Col.  Edward  R.  Warner,  ist  N.  Y.  Arty.,  Artillery  Staff. 

Major  Bennet  A.  Clements,  U.  S.  A Assistant  Medical  Director. 

Capt.  Daniel  Flagler,  U.  S.  A Ordnance  Department. 

Capt.  Valerian  Razderichin,  iO2d  N.  Y.  Vols.,   Headquarters  Staff. 

Capt.  Charles  E.  Pease,  U.  S.  V Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

Capt.  John  B.  Howard,  U.  S.  V Assistant  Quartermaster. 

Capt.  Henry  P.  Clinton,  U.  S.  V Assistant  Quartermaster. 

Capt.  John  H.  Woodward,  U.  S.  V Commissary  Subsistence. 

Capt.  James  P.  Kimball,  U.  S.  V Provost-Marshal's  Department. 

Capt.  Lafayette  Lyttle,  94th  N.  Y.  Vols Provost-Marshal's  Department. 

Capt.  William  W.  Beckwith,  2Oth  N.  Y.  S.  M.   Provost-Marshal's  Department. 

Lieut.  John  V.  Bouvier,  2Oth  N.  Y.  S.  M Provost-Marshal's  Department, 

Lieut.  Frederick    Rosencrantz,    2Oth    N.    Y. 

Vols Headquarters  Staff. 

Lieut.  Henry  W.  Perkins,  Soth  N.  Y.  Vols..    Headquarters  Staff. 

Lieut.  Paul  A.  Oliver,  I2th  N.  Y.  Vols Headquarters  Staff. 

Lieut.  Frederick   B.   Manning,    I48th   N.   Y. 

Vols Headquarters  Staff. 

Lieut.  Charles  W.  Woolsey,  I04th  N.  Y.  Vols.   Adjutant-General's  Department. 
Lieut.  Jonathan  A.  Smith,  I4th  N.  Y.  S.  M.,   Quartermaster's  Department. 
Lieut.  Frank  M.  Kelley,  44th  N.  Y.  Vols Quartermaster's  Department 

*Wounded . 


124  MEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC 
AT  THE  BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG,  PA.,  JULY 
1-3,  1863,  MAJ.-GEN.  GEORGE  G.  MEADE,  U.  S.  A., 
COMMANDING. 

GENERAL  HEADQUARTERS. 

COMMAND    OF    THE     PROVOST-MARSHAL  GENERAL. 

Brig.  Gen.  Marsena  R.  Patrick. 

93d   New  York  Infantry*  Col.  John  S.  Crocker. 

8th  United  States  Infantry*   (eight  cos.) .  . .    Capt.  Edwin  W.  H.  Read. 

2d    Pennsylvania  Cavalry   Col.   R.   Butler  Price. 

6th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry   Company  E,  Capt.  Emlen  N.  Carpenter. 

Company  I,  Capt.  James  Starr. 

ENGINEER   BRIGADE. 

Brig.  Gen.  Henry  W.  Benham. 

1 5th  New  York  (Battalion)*   Maj.  Walter  L.  Cassin. 

50th  New  York* Col.  William  H.  Pettes. 

Battalion  United  States*  Capt.  George  H.  Mendell. 

GUARDS   AND    ORDERLIES. 

Oneida  (New  York)    Cavalry Capt.  Daniel  P.  Mann. 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds.? 
Maj.  Gen.  Abner  Doubleday. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  Newton. 

GENERAL   HEADQUARTERS. 

1st  Maine  Cavalry,  Company  L Capt.  Constantine  Taylor. 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  James  S.  Wadsworth. 

First  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  Solomon  Meredith. % 

(2)  Col.  William  W.  Robinson. 

igth  Indiana Col.  Samuel  J.  Williams. 

24th  Michigan Col.  Henry    A.  Morrow. 

Capt.  Albert  M.  Edwards. 

2d  Wisconsin Col.  Lucius  Fairchild. 

Maj.  John  Mansfield. 
Capt.  George  H.  Otis. 

6th  Wisconsin Lieut.  Col.  Ru'fus  R.  Dawes. 

7th  Wisconsin   Col.  William  W.  Robinson. 

Maj.  Mark  Finnicum. 


*  Not  engaged     With  the  exception  of  the  regular  battalion,  the  Engineer  Brigade,  while  at  Beaver  Dam 
Creek,  six  miles  north  of  Liberty,  Md.,  on  July  1st,  was  ordered  to  Washington,  District  of  Columbia  where 
it  arrived  July  3d. 

•  General  Reynolds  was  killed  July  1st,  while  in  command  of  the  left  wing  of  the  army  •    Mai   Gen 
Abn  T  Doubleday  commanded  the  corps  July  1st,  and  Maj.  Gen.  John  Newton  on  the  2d  and  3d.  ' 

JWounded. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  I2e 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.   Lysander  Cutler. 

7th  Indiana Col.  Ira  G.  Grover. 

76th  New  York Maj.  Andrew  J.  Grover. 

Capt.  John  E.  Cook. 

84th  New  York  (i4th  Militia) Col.  Edward  B.  Fowler. 

95th  New  York Col.  George  H.  Biddle. 

Maj.   Edward   Pye. 

14/th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Francis  C.  Miller, 

Maj.  George  Harney. 
S6th  Pennsylvania  (nine  companies) Col.  J.  W.  Hofmann. 

SECOND    DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  C.  Robinson. 

First  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.   Gen.   Gabriel  R.   Paul.* 

(2)  Col.  Samuel  H.  Leonard.* 

(3)  Col.  Adrian  R.  Root* 

(4)  Col.  Richard  Coulter.* 

(5)  Col.  Peter  Lyle. 

i6th  Maine Col.  Charles  W.  Tilden. 

Maj.  Archibald  D.  Leavitt. 

I3th  Massachusetts   Col.  Samuel  H.  Leonard. 

Lieut.  Col.  N.  Walter  Batchelder. 

94th  New  York Col.  Adrian  R.  Root. 

Maj.  Samuel  A.  Moffett. 

I04th  New  York Col.  Gilbert  G.  Prey. 

io/th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  James  MacThomson. 

Capt.  Emanuel  D.  Roath. 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.   Henry  Baxter. 

I2th  Massachusetts  . .  Col.  James  L.  Bates. 

Lieut.  Col.  David  Allen,  Jr. 

83d   New  York  (gth  Militia) Lieut.    Col.  Joseph  A.   Moesch 

9/th  New  York Col.  Charles  Wheelock. 

Maj.  Charles  Northrup. 
nth  Pennsylvania t  Col.  Richard  Coulter. 

Capt.  Benjamin  F.  Haines. 

Capt.  John  B.  Overmyer. 
88th  Pennsylvania Maj.   Benezet  F.  Foust. 

Capt.  Henry  Whiteside. 
poth    Pennsylvania Col.  Peter  Lyle. 

Maj.  Alfred  J.  Sellers. 

Col.  Peter  Lyle. 

THIRD  DIVISION. 

Maj.  Gen.  Abner  Doubleday.f 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  A.  Rowley. 

Both  New  York  (20th  Militia) Col.  Theodore  B.  Gates. 

12ist  Pennsylvania Maj.  Alexander  Biddle. 

Col.  Chapman  Biddle. 
I42d  Pennsylvania Col.  Robert  P.  Cummins. 

Lieut.  Col.  Alfred  B.  McCalmont. 
I5ist  Pennsylvania • Lieut.  Col.  George  F.  McFarland. 

Capt.  Walter  L.  Owens. 

Col.  Harrison  Allen. 

*  Wounded.  t  Transferred  on  afternoon  of  July  1st  to  First  Brigade. 

t  General  Doubleday  commanded  the  corps  on  July  1st,  Gen.  Thomas  A.  Rowley  being  in  command  of 
the  division  and  Col.  Chapman  Biddle  of  the  First  Brigade.  Ou  July  3d  Rowley  was  wounded,  and  Biddle 
assumed  command  of  the  brigade. 


126  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Second  Brigade. 

(1)  Col.  Roy  Stone.* 

(2)  Col.  Langhorne  Wister.* 

(3)  Col.  Edmund  L.  Dana. 

*43d   Pennsylvania Col.  Edmund  L.  Dana. 

.       .  Lieut.  Col.  John  D.  Musser. 

I49th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Walton  Dwight. 

Capt.  James  Glenn. 
I5oth  Pennsylvania Col.   Langhorne  Wister. 

Lieut.  Col.  Henry  S.  Huidekoper. 

Capt.  Cornelius  C.  Widdis. 

Third  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  George  J.  Stannard.* 

(2)  Col.  Francis  V.  Randall. 

I2th  Vermontf Col.  Asa  P.  Blunt. 

I3th  Vermont Col.  Francis  V.  Randall. 

Maj.  Joseph  J.  Boynton. 

Lieut.  Col.  William  D.  Munson. 

I4th  Vermont Col.  William  T.  Nichols. 

15th  Vermont* Col.  Redfield  Proctor. 

i6th  Vermont Col.  Wheelock  G.  Veazey. 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Col.  Charles  S.  Wainright. 

2d  Maine  Light,  Battery Capt.  James  A.  Hall. 

5th  Maine  Light,  Battery Capt.  Greenleaf  T.  Stevens. 

Lieut.  Edward  N.  Whittier. 

1st  New  York  Light,  Battery  LJ Capt.  Gilbert  H.  Reynolds. 

Lieut.  George  Breck. 

1st  Pennsylvania  Light,  Battery  B Capt.  James  H.  Cooper. 

4th  United  States,  Battery  B Lieut.   Tames  Stewart. 

SECOND  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  Winfield  S.  Hancock.gr 

GENERAL   HEADQUARTERS. 

6th  New  York  Cavalry,  Cos.  D  and  K Capt.  Riley  Johnson. 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  C.  Caldwell. 
First  Brigade. 

(1)  Col.  Edward  E.  Cross.  | 

(2)  Col.  H.  Boyd  McKeen. 

jth  New  Hampshire  Lieut.  Col.  Charles  E.  Hapgood. 

6ist  New  York  Lieut.  Col.  K.  Oscar  Broady. 

8ist  Pennsylvania Col.  H.  Boyd  McKeen. 

Lieut.  Col.-  Amos  Stroh. 
I48th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Robert  McFarlane. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Patrick  Kelly. 

28th  Massachusetts Col.  Richard  Byrnes. 

63d   New  York  (two  companies)  Lieut.   Col.   Richard  C.  Bentley. 

Capt.  Thomas  Touhy. 
OQth  New  York  (two  companies) Capt.  Richard  Morpney. 

Lieut.  James  J.  Smith. 

88th  New  York  (two  companies) Capt.  Denis  F.  Burke. 

1 1 6th  Pennsylvania  (four  companies)  Maj.  St.  Clair  A.  Mulholland. 


*  Wounded,    t  Not  engaged;  guarding  trains.     J  Company  E,  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  attached. 
^Killed. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  127 

Third  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.    Gen.    Samuel   K.    Zook.* 

(2)  Lieut.  Col.  John  Fraser. 

52d  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Charles  G.  Freudenberg. 

'   Capt.  William  Scherrer. 

57th  New  York    Lieut.  Col.  Alfred  B.   Chapman. 

66th  New  York Col.  Orlando  H.  Morris. 

Lieut.  Col.  John  S.  Hammell. 
Maj.  Peter  Nelson. 

I40th  Pennsylvania Col.  Richard  P.  Roberts. 

Lieut.  Col.  John  Fraser. 

Fourth  Brigade. 
Col.  John  R.  Brooke.t 

27th  Connecticut  (two  companies)  Lieut.   Col.   Henry  C.  Merwin. 

Maj.  James  H.  Coburn. 

2d   Delaware Col.  William  P.   Baily. 

64th  New  York Col.    Daniel   G.    Bingham. 

Maj.  Leman  W.  Bradley. 

53d   Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Richards  McMichael. 

I45th  Pennsylvania  (seven  companies) Col.  Hiram  L.  Brown. 

Capt.  John  W.  Reynolds. 
Capt.  Moses  W.  Oliver. 

SECOND   DIVISION. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  John  Gibbon.t 

(2)  Brig.  Gen.  William  Harrow. 

First  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  William  Harrow. 

(2)  Col.  Francis  E.  Heath. 

igth  Maine Col.  Francis  E.  Heath. 

Lieut.  Col.  Henry  W.  Cunningham. 
I5th  Massachusetts Col.  George  H.  Ward. 

Lieut.  Col.  George  C.  Joslin. 
ist  Minnesota Col.  William  Colvill,  Jr. 

Capt.  Nathan  S.  Messick. 

Capt.  Henry  C.  Coates. 
82d  New  York  (2d  Militia) Lieut.  Col.  James  Huston. 

Capt.  John   Darrow. 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Alexander  S.  Webb.t 

6oth  Pennsylvania Col.  Dennis  O'Kane. 

Capt.  William  Davis. 

71  st  Pennsylvania Col.  Richard  Penn  Smith. 

72d   Pennsylvania Col.  DeWitt  C.  Baxter. 

Lieut.  Col.  Theodore  Hesser. 
io6th  Pennsylvania Lieut.   Col.  William  L.   Curry. 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  Norman  J.  Hall. 

ipth  Massachusetts Col.  Arthur  F.  Devereux. 

2oth  Massachusetts Col.  Paul  J.  Revere. 

Lieut.  Col.  George  N.  Macy. 

Capt.  Henry  L.  Abbott. 
7th  Michigan Lieut.  Col.  Amos  E.  Steele,  Jr. 

Maj.  Sylvanus  W.  Curtis. 

42d   New  York  Col.  James  E.  Mallon. 

59th  New  York  (four  companies) Lieut.  Col.  Max  A.  Thoman. 

Capt.  William  McFadden. 

•Killed.  t  Wounded. 


I28  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Unattached. 

ist  Company  (Mass.)  Sharpshooters Capt.  William  Plumer. 

Lieut.  Emerson  L.  BicknelL 

THIRD  DIVISION. 

Brig.   Gen.  Alexander  Hays. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.   Samuel  S.  Carroll. 

I4th  Indiana  . .  Col.  John  Coons. 

4th  Ohio Lieut.  Col.  Leonard  W.   Carpenter. 

8th  Ohio   Lieut.   Col.   Franklin   Sawyer. 

7th  West  Virginia  Lieut.  Col.  Jonathan  H.  Lockwood. 

Second  Brigade. 

(1)  Col.  Thomas  A.  Smyth.* 

(2)  Lieut.  Col.  Francis  E.  Pierce, 

I4th  Connecticut Maj.  Theodore  G.  Ellis. 

ist  Delaware Lieut.   Col.   Edward  P.   Harris. 

Capt.  Thomas  B.  Hizar. 
Lieut.  William  Smith. 
Lieut.  John  T.  Dent. 

I2th  New  Jersey  Maj.  John  T.   Hill. 

loth  New  York  (Battalion)  Maj.  George  F.  Hopper. 

io8th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Francis  E.  Pierce. 

Third  Brigade. 

(1)  Col.   George  L.  Willard.t 

(2)  Col.   Eliakim  Sherrill.t 

(3)  Lieut.  Col.  James  M.  Bull. 

39th  New  York  (four  companies) Maj.  Hugo  Hildebrandt. 

i  nth  New  York Col.    Clinton    D.    MacDougall. 

Lieut.  Col.  Isaac  M.  Lusk. 

Capt.  Aaron  P.  Seeley. 

I25th  New  York Lieut.   Col.  Levin  Crandell. 

I26th  New  York Col.  Eliakim  Sherrill. 

Lieut.  Col.  James  M.  Bull. 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Capt.  John  G.  Hazard. 

ist  New  York  Light,  Battery  B Lieut.  Albert  S.  Shelden. 

Capt.  James  McK.  Rorty. 

Lieut.  Robert  E.  Rogers. 

ist  Rhode  Island  Light,  Battery  A Capt.  William  A.  Arnold. 

ist  Rhode  Island  Light,  Battery  B Lieut.  T.  Fred.  Brown. 

Lieut.  Walter  S.  Perrin. 
ist  United  States  Battery  I Lieut.  George  A.  Woodruff. 

Lieut.  Tully  McCrea. 
4th  United  States  Battery  A..... Lieut.  Alonzo  H.  Gushing. 

Sergt.  Frederick  Fuger. 

THIRD  ARMY  CORPS. 

(1)  Maj.  Gen.  Daniel  E.  Sickles.* 

(2)  Maj.  Gen.  David  B.  Birney. 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

(1)  Maj.  Gen.  David  B.  Birney. 

(2)  Brig.  Gen.  J.  H.  Hobart  Ward. 

*  Wounded.  t  Killed. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  I2g 

First  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  Charles  K.  Graham.* 

(2)  Col.  Andrew  H.  Tippin. 

57th  Pennsylvania  (eight  companies) Col.  Peter  Sides. 

Capt.  Alanson  H.  Nelson. 

6,^1   Pennsylvania Maj.  John   A.   Danks. 

68th  Pennsylvania Col.  Andrew  H.  Tippin. 

105th  Pennsylvania Col.  Calvin  A.  Craig. 

i  i4th  Pennsylvania  Lieut.  Col.  Frederick  F.  Cavada. 

Capt.  Edward  R.  Bowen. 
I4ist  Pennsylvania Col.   Henry  J.   MadilL 

Second  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  J.  H.  Hobart  Ward. 

(2)  Col.  Hiram  Berdan. 

2oth  Indiana Col.  John  Wheeler. 

Lieut.  Col.  William  C  Taylor. 

3d   Maine Col.  Moses  B.  Lakeman. 

4th  Maine Col.  Elijah  Walker. 

Capt.  Edwin  Libby. 

86th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Benjamin  L.  Higgins. 

I24th  New  York Col.  A.  Van  Home  Ellis. 

Lieut.  Col.  Francis  M.  Cummins. 

poth  Pennsylvania Maj.  John  W.   Moore. 

1st  United  States  Sharpshooters Col.  Hiram  Berdan. 

Lieut.  Col.  Casper  Trepp. 
2d  United  States  Sharpshooters Maj.  Homer  R.  Stoughton. 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  P.  R.  de  Trobriand. 

i;th  Maine Lieut.  Col.  Charles  B.  Merrill. 

3d   Michigan Col.  Byron  R.  Pierce. 

Lieut.  Col.  Edwin  S.  Pierce. 

5th  Michigan Lieut.  Col.  John  Pulford. 

4oth  New  York  Col.  Thomas  W.  Egan. 

I  loth  Pennsylvania  (six  companies)   Lieut.  Col.  David  M.  Jones. 

Maj.  Isaac  Rogers. 

SECOND   DIVISION. 

Brig.  G«n.  Andrew  A.  Humphreys. 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Joseph  B.  Carr. 

1st  Massachusetts Lieut.  Col.  Clark  B.  Baldwin. 

nth  Massachusetts Lieut.  Col.  Porter  D.  Tripp. 

i6th  Massachusetts Lieut.  Col.  Waldo  Merriam. 

Capt.  Matthew  Donovan. 

I2th  New  Hampshire  Capt.  John  F.  Langley. 

nth  New  Jersey  Col.  Robert  McAllister. 

Capt.  William  H.  Lloyd. 

Capt.  Samuel  T.  Sleeper. 

Lieut.  John  Schoonover. 

26th  Pennsylvania Maj.  Robert  L.  Bodine. 

84th  Pennsylvania!    Lieut.  Col.  Milton  Opp. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  William  R.  Brewster. 

7oth  New  York  Col.  J.  E.  Farnum. 

7ist  New  York Col.  Henry  L.  Potter. 

72d  New  York  Col.  John  S.  Austin. 

Lieut.  Col.  John  Leonard. 

73d   New  York Maj.  Michael  W.  Burns. 

74th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  Holt. 

I20th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Cornelius  D.  Westbrook. 

Maj.  John  R.  Tappen. 

*  Wounded.  t  Not  engaged ;  guarding  trains. 


130  IslE\v   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  George  C.  Burling.  i 

2d   New  Hampshire  Col.  Edward  L.  Bailey. 

5th  New  Jersey Col.  William  J.  Sewell. 

Capt.  Thomas  C.  Godfrey. 

Capt.  Henry  H.  Woolsey. 

6th  New  Jersey Lieut.  Col.  Stephen  R.  Gilkyson. 

7th  New  Jersey Col.  Louis  R.  Francine. 

Maj.  Frederick  Cooper. 
8th  New  Jersey  Col.  John  Ramsey. 

Capt.  John  G.  Langston. 
U5th  Pennsylvania Maj.  John  P.  Dunne, 

Artillery  Brigade. 

(1)  Capt.   George  E.  Randolph.* 

(2)  Capt.   A.  Judson  Clark. 

2d   New  Jersey  Light,  Battery Capt.  A.  J.  Clark. 

Lieut.  Robert  Sims. 

1st  New  York  Light,  Battery  D Capt.   George  B.  Winslow. 

4th  New  York  Light,  Battery Capt.  James  E.  Smith. 

ist  Rhode  Island,   Battery   E Lieut.  John  K.  Bucklyn. 

Lieut.  Benjamin  Freeborn. 
4th  United  States,  Battery  K Lieut.  Francis  W.  Seeley. 

Lieut.  Robert  James. 

FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.   Gen.    George   Sykes. 

PROVOST    GUARD. 

I2th  New  York,  Companies  D  and  E Capt.  Henry  W.  Rider. 

FIRST  DIVISION. 

Brig.   Gen.  James  Barnes. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  William  S.  Tilton. 

i8th  Massachusetts   Col.  Joseph  Hayes. 

22d   Massachusetts Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  Sherwin,  Jr. 

ist  Michigan Col.  Ira  C.  Abbott. 

Lieut.  Col.  William  A.  Throop. 
I  i8th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  James  Gwyn. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Jacob  B.  Sweitzer. 

9th  Massachusetts Col.  Patrick  R.  Guiney. 

32d   Massachusetts Col.  George  L.  Prescott. 

4th  Michigan Col.   Harrison   H.  Jeffords. 

Lieut.  Col.  George  W.  Lumbard. 
6ad  Pennsylvania  Lieut.  Col.  James  C.  Hull.  , 

Third  Brigade. 

(1)  Col.    Strong  Vincent.  | 

(2)  Col  James  C.  Rice. 

2Oth  Maine Col.  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain. 

i6th  Michigan Lieut.  Col.  Norval  E.  Welch. 

44th  New  York Col.  James  C.  Rice. 

Lieut.  Col.  Freeman  Conner. 
83d   Pennsylvania Capt.  Orpheus  S.  Woodward. 

•  Wounded .  t  Mortally  wounded . 


YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  131 

SECOND    DIVISION. 

Brig.   Gen.   Romeyn   B.   Ayres. 

First  Brigade, 
Col.  Hannibal  Day. 

3d  United  States  (six  companies) Capt.  Henry  W.  Freedley. 

Capt.  Richard  G.   Lay. 

4th  United  States  (four  companies) Capt.  Julius  W.  Adams. 

6th  United  States  (five  companies)  Capt.  Levi  C.  Bootes. 

I2th  United  States  (eight  companies)   Capt.Thomas  S.  Dunn. 

I4th  United    States    (eight   companies) Maj.  Grotius  R.   Giddings. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Sidney  Burbank. 

2d  United  States  (six  companies) Maj.  Arthur  T.  Lee. 

Capt.  Samuel  A.  McKee. 

7th  United  States  (four  companies) Capt.  David  P.  Hancock. 

loth  United  States  (three  companies) Capt.  William  Clinton. 

nth  United  States  (six  companies) Maj.  Delancey  Floyd-Jones. 

i;th  United  States  (seven  companies) Lieut.  Col.  J.  D.  Greene. 

Third  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  Stephen  H.  Weed.* 

(2)  Col.   Kenner  Garrard. 

I40th  New  York Col.  Patrick  H.  O'Rorke. 

Lieut.  Col.  Louis  Ernst. 
I46th  New  York Col.  Kenner  Garrard. 

Lieut.  Col.  David  T.  Jenkins. 

gist  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Joseph  H.  Sinex. 

I55th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  John  H.  Cain. 

THIRD  DIVISION.t 

Brig.  Gen.  Samuel  W.  Crawford. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  William  McCandless. 

ist  Pennsylvania  Reserves  (nine  companies)  Col.  William  C.  Talley. 

2d   Pennsylvania  Reserves  Lieut.  Col.  George  A.  Woodward. 

6th  Pennsylvania  Reserves   Lieut.  Col.  Wellington  H.   Ent. 

I3th  Pennsylvania  Reserves  Col.  Charles  F.  Taylor. 

Maj.  William  R.  Hartshorne. 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  Joseph  W.  Fisher. 

5th  Pennsylvania  Reserves  Lieut.  Col.  George  Dare. 

9th  Pennsylvania  Reserves   Lieut.  Col.  James  McK.   Snodgrass. 

loth  Pennsylvania  Reserves   Col.  Adoniram  J.  Warner. 

nth  Pennsylvania  Reserves  Col.  Samuel  M.  Jackson. 

I2th  Pennsylvania  Reserves  (nine  companies)  Col.  Martin  D.  Hardin. 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Capt.   Augustus    P.    Martin. 

3d  Massachusetts  Light,  Battery  Lieut.  Aaron  F.  Walcott. 

ist  New  York  Light,  Battery  C Capt.   Almont  Barnes. 

ist  Ohio  Light,  Battery  L Capt.  Frank  C.  Jibbs. 

5th  United  States,  Battery  D Lieut.  Charles  E.  Hazlett. 

Lieut.  Benjamin  F.  Rittenhouse. 
5th  United  States,  Battery  I Lieut.  Malbone  F.  Watson. 

Lieut.  Charles  C.  MacConnell. 

*  Killed.       t  Joined  corps  June  28.    The  Second  Brigade  was  left  in  the  Department  of  Washington. 


132  NEW   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

SIXTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  Sedgwick. 

GENERAL   HEADQUARTERS. 

rst  New  Jersey  Cavalry,  Company  L )  -nr-n-       c  r     r* 

1st  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  Company  H....  }  Capt.  William  S.  Craft. 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

Brig  Gen.   Horatio  G.  Wright. 

Provost  Guard. 
4th  New  Jersey  (three  companies) Capt.  William  R.  Maxwell. 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Alfred  T.  A.  Torbert. 

ist  New  Jersey Lieut.  Col.  William  Henry,  Jr. 

2d   New  Jersey Lieut.  Col.  Charles  Wiebecke. 

3d   New  Jersey    Lieut.  Col.  Edward  L.  Campbell. 

I5th  New  Jersey  Col.  William  H.  Penrose. 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Joseph  J.   Bartlett. 

5th  Maine Col.  Clark  S.  Edwards. 

laist  New  York  Col.  Emory  Upton. 

95th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Edward  Carroll. 

96th  Pennsylvania Maj.  William  H.  Lessig. 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  David  A.  Russell. 

6th  Maine Col.  Hiram  Burnham. 

49th  Pennsylvania  (four  companies) Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  M.  Hulings. 

H9th  Pennsylvania Col.  Peter  C.  Ellmaker. 

5th  Wisconsin Col.  Thomas  S.  Allen. 

SECOND   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.   Albion  P.  Howe. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Lewis  A.  Grant. 

2d  Vermont Col.  James  H.  Walbridge. 

3d  Vermont Col.  Thomas  O.  Seaver. 

4th  Vermont Col.  Charles  B.  Stoughton. 

5th  Vermont Lieut.  Col.  John  R.  Lewis. 

.   6th  Vermont Col.  Elisha  L.  Barney. 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  H.  Neill.- 

7th  Maine  (six  companies)  Lieut.  Col.  Selden  Connor. 

33d   New  York  (detachment)    Capt.  Henry  J.  Gifford. 

43d  New  York Lieut.  Col.  John  Wilson. 

4Qth  New  York Col.  Daniel  D.  Bidwell. 

77th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Winsor  B.  French. 

6ist  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  George  F.  Smith. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  133 


THIRD   DIVISION. 

(1)  Maj.  Gen.  John  Newton.* 

(2)  Brig.  Gen.  Frank  Wheaton. 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Alexander  Shaler. 

6sth  New  York    Col.  Joseph  E.  Hamblin. 

67th  New   York    Col.  Nelson  Cross. 

I22d   New  York  Col.  Silas  Titus. 

23d   Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  John  F.  Glenn. 

82d  Pennsylvania Col.  Isaac  C.  Bassett. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Henry  L.  Eustis. 

7th  Massachusetts Lieut.  Col.  Franklin  P.  Harlow. 

loth  Massachusetts Lieut.  Col.  Joseph  B.  Parsons. 

37th  Massachusetts Col.  Oliver  Edwards. 

2d  Rhode  Island  Col.  Horatio  Rogers,  Jr. 

Third  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  Frank  Wheaton. 

(2)  Col.  David  J.  Nevin. 

62d   New  York Lieut.  Col.  Theodore  B.  Hamilton. 

93d  Pennsylvania Maj.  John  I.  Nevin. 

98th  Pennsylvania Maj.  John  B.  Kohler. 

jO2d   Pennsylvania1! Col.  John  W.  Patterson. 

1 39th  Pennsylvania Col.  Frederick  H.  Collier. 

Lieut.  Col.  William  H.  Moody. 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Col.  Charles  H.  Tompkins. 

ist  Massachusetts  Light,  Battery  Capt.  William  H.  McCartney. 

ist  New  York  Light,  Battery Capt.  Andrew  Cowan. 

3d  New  York  Light,  Battery Capt.  William  A.  Harn. 

ist  Rhode  Island,  Battery  C Capt.    Richard   Waterman. 

ist  Rhode  Island,   Battery  G Capt.  George  W.  Adams. 

2d  United  States,  Battery  D Lieut.  Edward  B.  Williston. 

2d   United  States,  Battery  G Lieut.  John  H.  Butler. 

5th  United  States,  Battery  F Lieut.  Leonard  Martin. 

ELEVENTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  Oliver  O.  Howard.  $ 

GENERAL   HEADQUARTERS. 

1st  Indiana  Cavalry,  Companies  I  and  K..   Capt.  Abram  Sharra. 

8th  New  York  Infantry  (one  company)....    Lieut.   Hermann   Foerster. 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  Francis  C.  Barlow.§ 

(2)  Brig.   Gen.  Adelbert  Ames. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.    Leopold   von    Gilsa. 

4ist  New  York  (nine  companies) Lieut.  Col.  Detleo  von  Einsiedel. 

54th  New  York Maj.  Stephen  Kovacs. 

68th  New  York  Col.  Gotthilf  Bourry. 

I53d   Pennsylvania Maj.  John  F.  Frueauff. 

*  Assumed  command  of  First  Army  Corps  July  2d.  t  Not  engaged  ;  guarding  wagon  train. 

$  During  the  interval  between  the  death  of  General  Reynolds  and  the  arrival  of  General  Hancock  on  the 
afternoon  of  July  1st,  all  the  troops  on  the  field  of  battle  were  commanded  by  General  Howard,  General 
Schurz  taking  command  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  and  General  Schimmelfennig  of  the  Third  Division. 

§  Wounded. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Second  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.   Gen.   Adelbert  Ames. 

(2)  Col.  Andrew  L.  Harris. 

17th  Connecticut Lieut.  Col.  Douglas  Fowler. 

Maj.  Allen  G.  Brady. 
25th  Ohio Lieut.  Col.  Jeremiah  Williams. 

Capt.  Nathaniel  J.  Manning. 

Lieut.  William  Maloney. 

Lieut.  Israel  White. 
75th  Ohio Col.  Andrew  L.  Harris. 

Capt.  George  B.  Fox. 
IO7th  Ohio Col.  Seraphim  Meyer. 

Capt.  John  M.  Lutz. 

SECOND    DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Adolph  von  Steinwehr. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.   Charles   R.  Coster. 

I34th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Allen  H.  Jackson. 

I54th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Daniel  B.  Allen. 

2/th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Lorenz  Cantador. 

73d  Pennsylvania Capt.  Daniel  F.  Kelley. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.    Orland   Smith. 

33d  Massachusetts Col.  Adin  B.  Underwood. 

I36th  New  York Col.  James  Wood,  Jr. 

55th  Ohio Col.  Charles  B.  Gambee. 

73d  Ohio Lieut.  Col.  Richard  Long. 

THIRD   DIVISION. 

Maj.   Gen.  Carl  Schurz. 

First  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.  Gen.  A.  Schimmelfennig.* 

(2)  Col.  George  von  Amsberg. 

82d   Illinois  Lieut.  Col.  Edward  S.  Salomon. 

45th  New  York Col.  George  von  Amsberg. 

.  Lieut.  Col.  Adolphus  Bobke. 

1 57th  New  York Col.  Philip  P.  Brown,  Jr. 

6ist  Ohio  . .  . .  _ Col.   Stephen  J.   McGroarty. 

74th  Pennsylvania Col.  Adolph  von  Hartung. 

Lieut.  Col.  Alexander  von  Mitzel. 
Capt.  Gustav  Schleiter. 
Capt.  Henry  Krauseneck. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  W.  Krzyzanowski. 

58th  New  York Lieut.  Col.  August  Otto. 

Capt.  Emil  Koenig. 
i  igth  New  York Col.  John  T.  Lockman. 

Lieut.  Col.  Edward  F.  Lloyd. 
82d   Ohio Col.  James  S.  Robinson. 

Lieut.  Col.  David  Thomson. 
75th  Pennsylvania Col.  Francis  Mahler. 

Maj.  August  Ledig. 
26th  Wisconsin Lieut.  Col.  Hans  Boebel. 

Capt.  John  W.  Fuchs. 

*  Captured. 


NEW  YOKK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  135 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Maj.  Thomas  W.  Osborn. 

i  st  New  York  Light,  Battery  I Capt.  Michael  Wiedrich, 

I3th  New  York  Light,  Battery Lieut.  William  Wheeler. 

ist  Ohio  Light,  Battery  I Capt.  Hubert  Dilger. 

ist  Ohio  Light,  Battery  K Capt.   Lewis   Heckman. 

4th  United  States,  Battery  G Lieut.  Bayard  Wilkeson. 

Lieut.  Eugene  A.  Bancroft. 

TWELFTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
Brig.  Gen.  Alpheus  S.  Williams.* 

GENERAL  HEADQUARTERS. 

loth  Maine  (Battalion)  Capt.  John  D.  Beardsley. 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

Brig.   Gen.  Thomas  H.  Ruger. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Archibald  L.  McDougall. 

5th  Connecticut Col.  Warren  W.  Packer. 

20th  Connecticut Lieut.  Col.  William  B.  Wooster, 

3d   Maryland Col.  Joseph  M.  Sudsburg. 

I23d  New  York Lieut.  Col.  Jaraes  C.  Rogers. 

Capt.  Adolphus  H.  Tanner. 

I45th  New  York Col.  E.  Livingston  Price. 

46th  Pennsylvania Col.  James  L.  Selfridge. 

Second  Brigade.* 
Brig.  Gen.  Henry  H.  Lockwood. 

ist  Maryland,  Potomac  Home  Brigade....   Col.  William  P.  Maulsby. 

ist  Maryland,  Eastern  Shore   Col.  James  Wallace. 

150th  New  York Col.  John  H.  Ketcham. 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.    Silas   Colgrove. 

27th  Indiana  . . Lieut.  Col.  John  R.  Fesler. 

2d   Massachusetts Lieut.  Col.  Charles  R.  Mudge. 

Maj.  Charles  F.  Morse. 

I3th  New  Jersey Col.  Ezra  A.  Carman. 

lojth  New  York Col.  Nirom  M.  Crane. 

3d  Wisconsin Col.  William  Hawley. 

SECOND   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  W.  Geary. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Charles  Candy. 

5th  Ohio Col.  John  H.  Patrick. 

7th  Ohio Col.  William  R.  Creighton. 

2Qth  Ohio Capt.  Wilbur  F.  Stevens. 

Capt.  Edward  Hayes. 

66th  Ohio Lieut.  Col.  Eugene  Powell. 

28th  Pennsylvania Capt.  John  Flynn. 

I47th  Pennsylvania  (eight  companies)   Lieut.  Col.  Ario  Pardee,  Jr. 

*  During  the  battle  Maj.  Gen.  Henry  W.  Slocum,  the  proper  commander  of  this  corps,  held  temporary 
command  of  the  right  wing  of  the  army. 

t  Unassigned  during  progress  of  battle;  afterward  attached  to  First  Division  as  Second  Brigade. 


136  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Second  Brigade. 

(1)  Col.    George   A.    Cobham,   Jr. 

(2)  Brig.   Gen.  Thomas  L.   Kane. 

(3)  Col.    George   A.    Cobham,   Jr. 

29th  Pennsylvania Col.  William  Richards,  Jr. 

looth  Pennsylvania Capt.  Frederick  L.  Gimber. 

I  nth  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  M.  Walker. 

Col.  George  A.  Cobham,  Jr. 

Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  M.  Walker. 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  S.  Greene. 

6othNew  York   Col.  Abel  Godard. 

78th  New  York    Lieut.  Col.  Herbert  Hammerstein. 

iO2d  New   York    Col.  James  C.  Lane. 

Capt.  Lewis  R.  Stegman. 

I37th  New   York    Col.  David  Ireland. 

I49th  New  York Col.  Henry  A.  Barnum. 

Lieut.  Col.  Charles  B.  Randall. 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Lieut.   Edward  D.   Muhlenberg. 

1st  New  York  Light,  Battery  M Lieut.  Charles  E.  Winegar. 

Pennsylvania  Light,  Battery  E Lieut.  Charles  A.  Atwell. 

4th  United  States,  Battery  F Lieut.  Sylvanus  T.  Rugg. 

5th  United  States,  Battery  K Lieut.  David  H.  Kinzie. 

CAVALRY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  Alfred  Pleasanton. 

FIRST  DIVISION. 

Brig.    Gen.   John    Buford. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  William.  Gamble. 

8th  Illinois Maj.  John  L.  Beveridge. 

I2th  Illinois  (four  companies)  Col.   George  H.  Chapman. 

3d    Indiana  (six  companies)    Col.    George   H.   Chapman. 

8th  New  York   Lieut.  Col.  William  L.  Markell. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Thomas  C.  Devin. 

6th  New  York Maj.  William  E.  Beardslcy. 

9th  New  York Col.  William  Sackett. 

l?th  Pennsylvania Col.  Josiah  H.  Kellogg. 

3d  West  Virginia  (two  companies) Capt.  Seymour  B.  Conger. 

Reserve  Brigade. 
Brig.    Gen.    Wesley    Merritt. 

6th  Pennsylvania Maj.  James  H.  Hasekine. 

ist  United    States    Capt.  Robert  S.  Lord 

2d   United  States Capt.  T.  F.  Rodenbough. 

S*n  United  States  Capt.  Julius  W.  Mason. 

6th  United  States  Maj.  Samuel  H.  Starr. 

Lieut.  Louis  H.  Carpenter. 

Lieut.  Nicholas  No'an. 

Capt.  Ira  W.  Claflin. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  137 


SECOND   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  David  McM.  Gregg. 

Headquarters  Guard. 
ist    Ohio,  Company  A Capt.  Noah  Jones. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  John  B.  Mclntosh. 

1st  Maryland  (eleven  companies)  Lieut.  Col.  James  M.  Deems. 

Purnell  Legion,  Maryland,  Company  A,  Capt.   Robert  E.  Duvall. 

1st  Massachusetts*    Lieut.  Col.  Greely  S.  Curtis. 

1st  New  Jersey  Maj.  Myron  H.  Beaumont. 

1st  Pennsylvania Col.  John  P.  Taylor. 

3d    Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  Edward  S.  Jones. 

3d   Pennsylvania    Heavy    Artillery,    Section 

Battery   Ht Capt.  William  D.  Rank. 

Second  Brigade.  \ 
Col.  Pennock  Huey. 

2d   New  York  Lieut.  Col.  Otto  Harhaus. 

4th  New  York  Lieut.  Col.  Augustus  Pruyn. 

6th  Ohio  (ten  companies;   Maj.  William  Stedman. 

8th  Pennsylvania Capt.  William  A.  Corrie. 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.   J.    Irvin   Gregg. 

ist  Maine Lieut.  Col.  Charles  H.  Smith. 

loth  New   York    Maj.  M.  H.  Avery. 

4th  Pennsylvania Lieut.   Col.  William   E.   Doster. 

l6th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  John  K.  Robison. 

THIRD   DIVISION. 

Brig.   Gen.  Judson  Kilpatrick. 

Headquarters  Guard. 
1st  Ohio,  Company  C Capt.   Samuel  N.  Stanford. 

First  Brigade. 

(1)  Brig.   Gen.   Elon  J.  Farnsworth.g 

(2)  Col.   Nathaniel   P.   Richmond. 

5th  New  York    Maj.  John  Hammond. 

l8th  Pennsylvania Lieut.  Col.  William  P.  Brinton. 

ist  Vermont    Lieut.  Col.  Addison  W.  Preston. 

Ist  West  Virginia  (ten  companies) Col.  Nathaniel  P.  Richmond. 

Maj.  Charles  E.  Capehart. 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  A.  Custer. 

ist  Michigan Col.  Charles  H.  Town. 

5th  Michigan  Col.  Russell  A.  Alger. 

6th  Michigan   Col.  George  Gray. 

7th  Michigan  (ten  companies)  Col.  William  D.  Mann. 

HORSE   ARTILLERY. 

First  Brigade. 
Capt.    James    M.    Robertson. 

gth  Michigan,  Battery  Capt.  Jabez  J.  Daniels. 

6th  New  York,  Battery  Capt.  Joseph  W.   Martin. 

2d   United  States,  Batteries  B  and  L Lieut.  Edward  Heaton. 

2d   United  States,  Battery  M Lieut.  A.  C.  Pennington. 

4th  United  States,   Battery  E Lieut.  Samuel  S.  Elder. 

*  Detached  from  brigade.         t  Serving  as  light  artillery.         J  Not  engaged  ;  was  at  Westminster  during 
the  battle.  §  Killed. 


138 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


Second  Brigade. 
Capt.  John  C.  Tidball. 

1st  United  States,  Batteries  E  and  G Capt.  Alanson  M.  Randol. 

ist  United  States,  Battery  K Capt.  William  M.  Graham. 

2d  United  States,  Battery  A Lieut.  John  H.  Calef. 

3d  United  States,  Battery  C Lieut.  William  D.  Fuller. 

ARTILLERY.* 
Brig.  Gen.  Henry  J.  Hunt 

ARTILLERY   RESERVE. 

(1)  Brig.   Gen.   Robert  O.  Tyler.t 

(2)  Capt.  James  M.  Robertson. 

First  Regular  Brigade. 
Capt.  Dunbar  R.  Ransom. 

1st  United  States,  Battery  H Lieut.  Chandler  P.  Eakin. 

Lieut.  Philip    D.    Mason. 

3d   United  States,  Batteries  F  and  K Lieut  John  G.  Turnbull. 

4th  United   States,   Battery  C Lieut.  Evan  Thomas. 

5th  United  States,  Battery  C Lieut  Gulian  V.  Weir. 

First  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Lieut.  Col.  Freeman  McGilvery. 

Sth  Massachusetts  Light,  Battery*  Capt.   Charles  A.   Phillips. 

Qth  Massachusetts  Light,  Battery  Capt.  John  Bigelow. 

Lieut.  Richard  S.  Milton. 

I5th  New  York  Light,  Battery Capt  Patrick  Hart. 

Pennsylvania  Light,  Batteries  C  and  F,  Capt.  James  Thompson. 

Second  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Capt.  Elijah  D.  Taft 

1st  Connecticut  Heavy,  .Battery  B§ Capt  Albert  F.  Brooker. 

1st  Connecticut  Heavy,   Battery  M§ Capt.  Franklin  A.  Pratt 

2d   Connecticut  Light,   Battery   Capt.  John  W.  Sterling. 

5th  New  York  Light,  Battery Capt  Elijah  D.  Taft 

Third  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Capt.  James  F.   Huntington. 

ist  New  Hampshire  Light,   Battery Capt  Frederick  M.  Ed gell. 

ist  Ohio  Light,  Battery  H Lieut.  George  W.  Norton. 

ist  Pennsylvania  Light,  Batteries  F  and  G. .   Capt.  R.  B.  Ricketts. 
West  Virginia  Light,  Battery  C Capt.  Wallace  HilL 

Fourth  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Capt.  Robert  H.  Fitzhugh. 

6th  Maine  Light,    Battery   Lieut.  Edwin  B.  Dow. 

Maryland  Light,  Battery  A Capt.  James  H.  Rigby. 

ist  New  Jersey  Light,  Battery Lieut.  Augustin  N.  Parsons. 

ist  New  York  Light,  Battery  G Capt.  Nelson  Ames. 

ist  New  York  Light,  Battery  K|| Capt  Robert  H.  Fitzhugh. 

Train  Guard. 
4th  New  Jersey  Infantry  (seven  companies),    Maj.  Charles  Ewing. 

Headquarters  Guard. 
32d   Massachusetts,  Company  C Capt.  Josiah  C.  Fuller. 


•  All  organizations  of  artillery  except  the  Reserve  will  be  found  in  the  rosters  of  the  commands  with 
which  they  serred.  t  Disabled.  $  Tenth  New  York  Battery  attached .  §  Not  engaged . 

|  Eleventh  New  York  Battery  attached. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


139 


CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE   POTOMAC,   AT  -THE 
BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG,  PA.,  JULY  1-3,  1863.* 

MEM. —  The  following  casualty  returns  are  the  ones  which  were  made  out  at  the  close 
of  the  battle;  hence,  the  figures  for  the  killed  do  not  include  the  mortally  wounded.  The 
latter  are  included  with  the  wounded.  Many  of  the  missing  were  killed  or  wounded. 
In  the  aggregate  the  number  of  the  killed  is  generally  increased  over  60  per  cent,  by 
deaths  from  wounds  and  information  as  to  the  fate  of  the  missing.  For  the  correct  num 
ber  of  killed  and  mortally  wounded  in  New  York  regiments,  see  Roll  of.  Honor. —  [Eo. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OK  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

GENERAL  HEADQUARTERS. 
Staff                          

ta 

2 

.... 

.... 

4 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  F.  Reynolds. 
Maj.  Gen.  Abner  Doubleday. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  Newton. 


CORPS  HEADQUARTERS. 
Staff                 

I 

I 

2 

I 

2 

. 

•1 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  James  S.  Wadsworth. 


First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Solomon  Meredith. 
Col.  William  W.  Robinson. 

Cfnff                                                                                                      

I 

I 

2 

25 

12 

121 

4 

46 

2IO 

8 

59 

13 

197 

3 

83 

363 

i 

25 

II 

144 

5 

47 

233 

2 

28 

7 

IO9 

22 

168 

21 

10 

95 

i 

51 

178 

13 

158 

54 

666 

13 

249 

i,  153 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Lysander  Cutler. 

2 

s 

3 

10 

2 

•?o 

16 

116 

70 

234 

8dth  New  York  (i4th  Militia)  

13 

6 

99 

99 

217 

7 

8 

54 

i 

45 

US 

3 

57 

9 

135 

92 

296 

i 

13 

56 

i 

54 

130 

6 

122 

44 

465 

2 

36  T 

1,002 

19 

280 

98 

1,131 

15 

612 

2,155 

SECOND  DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  C.  Robinson. 
Staff                                                              

. 

i 

i 

*  Also  includes  losses  in  skirmishes  July  4th. 


t  Generals  Butterfleld  and  Warren. 


140  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

i 

e 

o 

•s  . 
3g 

"5  E 
w 

90 

E 

<u 
u 

e 
o 

•o 

V 

•£  fl 

.~  ID 

1S 

t 
c 
o 

s 
o 

3 

|g 
Is 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Gabriel  R.  Paul. 
Col.  Samuel  H.  Leonard. 
Col.  Adrian   R.   Root. 
Col.  Richard  Coulter. 
Col.  Peter  Lyle. 
Staff                                                

i 

5 
4 
6 

10 

2 

8 

I 

54 
73 
52 
81 

12 
48 

2 
II 
3 

8 

IO 

i 
153 
98 
167 
82 

5 
232 
185 
245 
194 

15 
165 

2 

7 
7 

12 
II 
I 
II 

.... 

6 

92 

Total  First  Brigade  

2 

49 

36 

321 

40 

593 

1,041 

Second  Brigade. 

Brig.    Gen.   Henry   Baxter. 
Staff 

i 
3 

3 

4 
I 

59 
58 
75 
60 

47 
39 

i 
119 

82 
126 
117 
no 
93 

i2tli  Massachusetts                     

2 
2 
2 

3 
4 
10 

5 
4 

7 

7 
3 
9 
6 
3 
3 

45 
15 
27 
46 
52 
42 

83d    New  York  (9th  Militia)       

97th  New  York  

poth  Pennsylvania  

I 

Total  Second  Brigade  

7 
9 

33 

3i 

227 

12 

338 

648 

Total  Second  Division  

82 

68 

548 

52 

931 

1,690 

THIRD    DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  A.  Rowley. 
Maj.  Gen.  Abner  Doubleday. 
Staff  

1    ' 

1 

i 

First  Brigade. 

Col.  Chapman  Biddle. 
Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  A.  Rowley. 
Col.  Chapman  Biddle. 
Staff  

i 

15 
5 
ii 

9 

i 

170 
179 

211 

337 

8oth  New  York  (2oth  Militia)  

3 

32 

12 
10 

49 

96 

IOI 

117 

202 

I 
I 
2 

4 

23 
60 
68 
7i 

I2ist  Pennsylvania  

I42d    Pennsylvania  ... 

3 

2 

I5ist  Pennsylvania  

Total  First  Brigade  

8 

103 

41 

516 

8 

222 

898 

Second  Brigade. 

Col.  Roy  Stone. 
Col.  Langhorne  Wister. 
Col.  Edmund  L.  Dana. 
I43d   Pennsylvania    

i 
i 

2 

20 

52 
33 

ii 

14 
10 

130 
158 
142 

4 
4 

91 

107 
73 

253 
336 
264 

!4Qth  Pennsylvania    

150th  Pennsylvania    

Total  Second  Brigade  

4 

105 

35 

430 

8 

271 

853 

*  Transferred  on  afternoon  of  July  1st  from  the  Second  to  the  First  Brigade, 
are  reported  with  the  latter  brigade. 


Its  losses  after  July  1st 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  141 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WODNDKD. 

CAPTURED 
OB  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
meu. 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  J.  Stannard. 
Col.  Francis  V.  Randall. 
Staff                 

2 

4 
I 

5 

2 
123 
107 

IIQ 

IO 
18 
16 

99 

66 

97 

10 
21 
I 

I 

Total  Third  Brigade  

I 

44 

12 

262 

32 

351 

Total  Third  Division     

13 

252 

89 

1,208 

16 

525 

2,103 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Col.  Chas.  S.  Wainwright. 

3 
i 

3 

2 

2 

I 

*  I 

2 

18 
ii 

14 
8 
29 

18 

23 

17 

12 

36 

7 
i 

3 

9 

6 

80 

ii 

106 

42 

624 

262 

2,969 

83 

2,079 

6,059 

SECOND  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  Winfield  S.  Hancock. 


GENERAL  HEADQUARTERS. 

3 

6th  New  York  Cavalry,  Companies  D  and  K, 

I 

.... 

3 

4 

FIRST   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  C.  Caldwell. 

First  Brigade. 

Col.    Edward   E.   Cross. 
Col.  H.  Boyd  McKeen. 


q     ft 

\ 

I 

I 

j 

26 

4 

49 

80 

6 

6 

50 

62 

K 

5 

44 

8 

62 

j 

18 

6 

95 

5 

125 

2 

CC 

22 

238 

13 

330 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Patrick  Kelly. 

8 

I 

56 

35 

100 

5 

I 

9 

i 

7 

23 

5 

I 

13 

6 

25 

88th  New  York                   

I 

6 

I 

16 

4 

28 

2 

ii 

i 

8 

22 

I 

26 

4 

105 

2 

60 

198 

*  Battery  E,  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  attached. 


142  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

E 

0> 
O 

e 
o 

Enlisted 
men. 

E 

S> 
O 

G 

o 

Enlisted 
men. 

1C 

C 
9 

o 

E 
o 

Enlisted 
men. 

Third  Brigade. 

Brig.  Gen.  Samuel  K.  Zook. 
Lieut.  Col.  John  Fraser. 
Staff  

I 

I 

I 
38 
34 
44 
241 

52d   New  York  

I 
4 
3 
34 

3 

2 

5 
8 

23 
26 
24 
136 

i 
3 

IO 
2 
9 

57 

57th  New  York  

66th  New  York  

2 

3 

i-joth  Pennsylvania  

Total  Third  Brigade  

7 

42 

18 

2OQ 

4 

78 

358 

Fourth  Brigade. 

Col.  John  R.  Brooke. 
27th  Connecticut  

2 

2 

4 

8 

9 
ii 

7 
ii 

4 
7 
7 
ii 

9 

19 

54 

57 

£ 

4 

12 
19 

6 

IO 

37 
84 
98 
80 
90 

2d   Delaware  •  

64th  New  York  

53d   Pennsylvania  

I45th  Pennsylvania  

Total  Fourth  Brigade  

8 

46 

38 

246 

51 

389 

Total  First  Division  

18 

169 

82 

798 

6 

202 

1,275 

SECOND   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  Gibbon. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  Harrow. 
Staff  .  .  .  .  

1 
1 

3 

' 

3 

First  Brigade. 

Brig.  Gen.  William  Harrow. 
Col.  Francis  E.  Heath. 
Staff  

i 
ii 
8 
14, 

12 

I 

203 
148 
224 
192 

igth  Maine  

i 
3 
3 
3 

28 
20 

47 
42 

159 
89 
159 

1  20 

i 

4 
28 
i 
14 

15th  Massachusetts  

ist  Minnesota  

82d   New  York  (2d  Militia)  

Total  First  Brigade  

IO 

137 

46 

527 

i 

47 

768 

Second  Brigade. 

Brig.  Gen.  Alexander  S.  Webb. 
69th  Pennsylvania  

4 

2 

2 

I 

36 
19 
42 

8 

8 
3 
7 
9 

72 

55 
139 
45 

2 

3 

15 
16 

2 

I 

137 
98 
192 
64 

71  st  Pennsylvania  

72d   Pennsylvania  

lo6th  Pennsylvania  

Total  Second  Brigade  

9 

105 

27 

3H 

5 

34 

491 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  143 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OB  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Fnlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  Norman  J.  Hall. 

2 
2 
2 

7 
28 

19 
IS 
6 

9 

8 

3 
6 

3 

52 

86 

4i 
49 
25 

.... 

7 
3 

77 
127 

65 
74 
34 

42d   New  York     

.... 

4 

59th  New  York  

Total  Third  Brigade  

6 

75 

29 

253 

.... 

H 

377 

Unattached. 

2 

6 

8 

25 

319 

105 

1,097 

6 

95 

1,647 

THIRD    DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Alexander  Hays. 


First  Brigade. 

Col.  Samuel  S.  Carroll. 
I4th  Indiana  

6 

3 

22 

•3T 

4th  Ohio  

2 

7 

i 

16 

5 

31 

8th  Ohio  

i 

17 

IO 

73 

i 

I  O2 

7th  West  Virginia  

5 

i 

40 

i 

47 

Total  First  Brigade  

3 

35 

15 

I5i 

7 

211 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Thomas  A.  Smyth. 
Lieut.  Col.  Francis  E.  Pierce. 
I4th  Connecticut  

IO 

IO 

42 

A 

66 

ist  Delaware  

f 

9 

10 

44 

I 

12 

77 

I2th  New  Jersey  

> 

21 

4 

79 

O 

TTC 

loth  New  York  (Battalion)   

2 

4 

'o8th  New  York  

3 

13 

IO 

76 

Total  Second  Brigade  

6 

55 

34 

2-45 

x 

2- 

366 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  George  L.  Willard. 
Col.  Eliakim  Sherrill. 
Lieut.  Col.  James  M.  Bull. 
30th  New  York  

i 

14 

•j 

77 

1  1  1  th  New  York  

•j 

cc 

8 

169 

T/( 

95 

i  ^5th  New  York  

2 

24 

6 

08 

e 

35 

O 

172 

10 

Xo9 

Total  Third  Brigade  

1  1 

128 

26 

=516 

T3 

/X4 

Total  Third  Division  

2O 

218 

7c 

QI2 

I 

6r 

144 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Oflftcers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Capt.  John  G.   Hazard, 
ist  New  York  Light  Battery  B*  

I 

9 
3 
6 
i 

5 

I 
I 
I 
I 
I 

15 
27 

18 
23 
3i 

26 

32 
28 

25 
33 

1st  Rhode  Island  Light    Battery  A  



I 
2 

ist  Rhode  Island  Light   Battery  B  

I 

ist  United  States   Battery  I  

4th  United  States   Battery  A  

I 



Total  Artillery  Brigade  

3 

24 

5 

114 

3 

149 

Total  Second  Army  Corps  

66 

731 

270 

2,924 

13 

365 

4.369 

THIRD  ARMY  CORPS. 

Maj.  Gen.  Daniel  E.  Sickles. 
Maj.  Gen.  David  B.  Birney. 
Staff  

2J 

! 

2 

FIRST  DIVISION. 

Maj.  Gen.  David  B.  Birney. 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  H.  Hobart  Ward. 


First  Brigade. 

Brig.  Gen.  Charles  K.  Graham. 
Col.  Andrew  H.  Tipoin. 
Staff  

5/th  Pennsylvania  

2 

V7 

63d  Pennsylvania  

I 

7 

26 

OD 

1X5 

68th  Pennsylvania  

-J 

IO 

Q 

1  17 

•  •  •  . 

34 

I05th  Pennsylvania  

I 

7 

14 

IOI 

.... 

I  I4th  Pennsylvania  

Q 

I 

8e 

1 

ij* 

I4ist    Pennsylvania  

2^ 

6 

O7 

149 

Total  First  Brigade  

6 

61 

AZ. 

Afll 

5 

/  40 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.  J.   H.   Hobart  Ward. 
Col.  Hiram  Berdan 
Staff  

I 

I 

2oth  Indiana  .    . 

i 

•JO 

Q 

IQC 

IO 

TCg 

3d   Maine  

i 

17 

2 

1:7 

4th  Maine  

2 

Q 

•J 

q6 

T> 

86th  New  York  .  .  . 

I 

IO 

•5 

d8 

j 

66 

1  24th  New  York  

2J. 

•3 

C/1 

B 

99th  Pennsylvania  

I 

17 

4. 

77 

I  I 

I  IO 

ist  United  States  Sharpshooters 

I 

5 

4 

33 

6 

AQ 

2d   United  States  Sharpshooters   . 

5 

4 

19 

i 

14 

4"? 

Total  Second  Brigade  

12 

117 

?•} 

44.0 

6 

164 

78  T 

*  14th  New  York  Battery  attached. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


145 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Z 

8 

6 
o 

"3  . 

3§ 
•as 
a 

£ 

ID 
0 

E 
o 

1« 

£  v 

la 

w 

OQ 

i 

0 

6 
o 

is 

w  £> 

=38 
H 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  P.  Regis  de  Trobriand. 

i 

17 
7 
17 

22 

8 

7 
3 

8 

4 
6 

105 
28 

78 
116 
39 

.... 

3 

7 
4 
7 

133 
45 
109 
ISO 
53 

3d   Michigan  

2 
I 

4Oth  New  York   

I  loth  Pennsylvania  

Total  Third  Brigade  

4 

7i 

28 

366 

21 

490 

22 

249 

106 

1,278 

12 

344 

2,OII 

SECOND  DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Andrew  A-  Humphreys. 
Staff  

..!       2  1       a\       7  1  ....  1  ....        TT 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Joseph  B.  Carr. 
Staff  

2 

8 
7 
4 
5 
9 
10 

2 

1  2O 

129 

81 

92 

i53 
213 

ist  Massachusetts  ..  

I 

I 

3 

I 

3 

I 

15 

22 
12 
19 
14 

29 

75 
89 
49 
65 
H5 
166 

2 

21 

8 
13 

2 

12 

7 

nth  Massachusetts  ..  .  .  

i6th  Massachusetts  

I2th  New  Hampshire  

10 

III 

45 

559 

2 

63 

790 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  William  R.  Brewster. 
Staff  

i 
4 
7 

20 

9 
7 
47 

12 

25 

2 

8 
6 

7 
ii 
6 
10 

2 
117 

91 
114 
162 

89 

203 

7oth  New  York  

85 
62 
72 
92 
68 
144 

.... 

4 
13 
28 
8 
3 
17 

7ist  New  York  

72d   New  York  

73d   New  York  

74th  New  York  

12 

120 

50 

523 

73 

778 

Third  Bngade. 
Col.  George  C.  Burling. 

3 

2 
I 

17 
II 
I 
14 

7 
3 

18 
5 
3 
10 

7 

1  19 

60 
29 
76 
3i 
18 

.... 

36 
16 
8 
13 

2 

3 

193 
94 
4i 
114 

47 
24 

Total  Third  Brigade  

6 

S3 

43 

333 

78 

513 

Total  Second  Division  

28 

286 

140 

1,422 

2 

214 

2,092 

10 


146  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Z 
8 
8 
O 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Capt.  George  E.  Randolph. 
Capt.  A.  Judson  Clark. 
2d   New  Jersey  Light    Battery     

I 

2 

3 
2 

2 
I 

16 

10 
10 

24 

18 

3 

8 

i 
i 
4 

2O 

18 

13 
30 

25 

4th  New  York  Light    Batterv  

1st  Rhode  Island  Light    Battery  E  

8 

3 

78 

i? 

1  06 

50 

543  1    251 

2,778 

14 

575 

4,211 

Third  Brigade. 


FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS. 

Maj.  Gen.  George  Sykes. 

FIRST    DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  James  Barnes. 

First  Brigade. 

Col.  William  C.  Tilton. 

I 

.... 

23 

.... 

3 

27 

3 

3 

24 

i 

31 

i 

4 

6 

27 

.... 

4 

42 

liSth  Pennsylvania  

i 

2 

3 

16 

3 

25 

2 

IO 

12 

90 

ii 

125 

Second  Brigade. 

Col.  Jacob   B.   Sweitzer. 

I 

6 

7 

32d   Massachusetts  

i 

12 

7 

55 

5 

80 

i 

24 

9 

55 

i 

75 

165 

4 

24 

IO 

97 

40 

175 

6 

61 

26 

213 

i 

1  20 

427 

Col.  Strong  Vincent 
Col.  James  C.  Rice. 
Staff 

I 

i 

29 

6 

85 

g 

125 

3 

20 

2 

32 

3 

60 

2 

24 

5 

77 

3 

in 

i 

9 

3 

42 

c=5 

Total  Third  Brigade  

6 

82 

17 

236 

ii 

352 

14 

153 

55 

539 

i 

142 

904 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


147 


CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

SECOND   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Romeyn  B.  Ayres. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Hannibal  Day. 
Staff                                        

I 
62 
28 
39 
67 
1  08 

I 

73 
40 

44 

92 

132 

6 

10 

4 
7 
18 

4 
2 
I 

4 

2 

I 

4th  United  States  

I2th  United  States  

I 

.... 

13 
4 

Total  First  Brigade  

I 

45 

13 

305 

.... 

18 

382 

Secon-d  Brigade. 
Col.  Sidney  Burbank. 
2d  United  States  

I 
I 

I 

3 
i 

5 
ii 

15 
16 

24 

4 
3 

5 
7 
13 

Si 
42 
27 
85 
105 

.... 

6 

2 

3 
9 

7 

67 
59 
51 

120 

150 

ioth  United  States  ..  

nth  United  States  

I7th  United  States            

7 

7i 

32 

310 

27 

447 

Third  Brigade. 

Brig.   Gen.   Stephen   H.  Weed. 
Col.  Kenner  Garrard. 


Staff 

I4oth  New  York  . . 

I46th  New  York  . . 

gist  Pennsylvania 

I55th  Pennsylvania 


Total  Third  Brigade  . . 
Total  Second  Division 


THIRD    DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Samuel  W.  Crawford. 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  William  McCandless. 
1st  Pennsylvania  Reserves 
2d   Pennsylvania  Reserves 
6th  Pennsylvania  Reserves 
[3th  Pennsylvania  Rese 

Total  First  Brigade 


I 

I 

I 

25 

4 
3 
6 

5 

2 
2 
2 

84 
22 

14 
II 

.... 

18 

133 

28 

19 

TO 

2 

38 

II 

131 

18 

200 

IO 

154 

56 

746 

63 

I,O29 

rves  ..   

o 

3 

35 

40 

rves  

3 

31 

.... 

I 

37 

rves  (ist  Rifles)  

2 

5 

8 

31 

2 

24 
48 

is! 

T  iQ 

14 

3 

155 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 
CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate 

Officers. 

T3 

Id 

S2  ® 

133 
w 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

T3 
tt)  _• 

.2S  5 
"2  S 
w 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  Joseph  W.  Fisher. 

2 

5 
3 
35 
I 

2 

5 
5 
4i 

2 

2 
2 
I 

3 

I 

I 

5 

3 

46 

55 

3 

23 

17 

164 

3 

210 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Capt.  Augustus  P.  Martin. 
3d   Massachusetts  Light    Battery  (C)  

6 

2 

6 
18 

6 

2 

13 
22 

I  st  Ohio  Light    Battery  L     

eth  United  States    Battery  D         

I 

6 
i 

I 

.... 

2 

I 

7 

I 

32 

.... 

2 

43 

i 

I 

28 

337 

129 

1,482 

i 

210 

2,187 

SIXTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  Sedgwick. 

FIRST    DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Horatio  G.  Wright 
First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Alfred  T.  A.  Torbert. 
2d   New  Jersey  

6 

6 

2 

2 

7 

T. 

Total  First  Brigade  

ii 

II 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Joseph  J.  Bartlctt. 

2 

2 

i 

I 

n 

I 

I 

Total  Second  Brigade  

I 

4 

C 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  David  A.  Russell. 
H9th  Pennsylvania  

2 

2 

Total  Third  Brigade  

2 

2 

Total  First  Division  

i 

17 

18 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  149 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men  . 

SECOND  DIVISION. 

Brig.   Gen.  Albion  P.  Howe. 
Second  Brigade. 
Col.   Lewis  A.   Grant. 

I 

I 

I 

I 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  H.  Neill. 

6 

2 
2 
I 

.... 

I 

6 

5 

2 
2 

I 

I 

.... 

I 

Total  Third  Brigade  

I 

I 

II 

2 

15 

I 

.     I 

.... 

12 

2 

16 

THIRD    DIVISION. 

Maj.  Gen.  John  Newton. 
Brig.   Gen.    Frank  Wheaton. 


First  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.   Alexander  Shaler. 

4 

e 

i 

I 

10 

2 

30 

2 

44 

2%d   Pennsylvania  ..  

I 

I 

12 

14. 

6 

6 

Total  First  Brigade  

I 

14 

3 

Z? 

-? 

74 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Henry  L.  Eustis. 

6 

6 

loth  Massachusetts  

I 

3 

C 

n 

2 

I 

25 

10 

47 

2(1   Rhode  Island  

I 

5 

I 

7 

Total  Second  Brigade  

3 

2 

39 

2~ 

60 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.   Frank  Wheaton. 
Col.  David  J.  Nevin. 
62d   New  York        

I 

I 

10 

I 

n 

2 

n 

I  I 

i 

-i 

16 

Total  Third  Brigade  

2 

7 

•1  1 

Z? 

Total  Third  Division  

i 

in 

12 

n6 

28 

196 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 
CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

E 

9 

o 

E 
O 

•a 

Is 

£  v 

•3E 
W 

t 

<o 
o 

S 

O 

•a 

Is 

~  a> 

fl£ 

K 

t 

o 

0 

e 

o 

•O 
<c   • 

«g 

=58 
S 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Col  Charles  H.  Tompkins. 

4 

2 

6 

12 

4 

2 

6 

— 

12 

2 

25 

14 

171 

30 

242 

ELEVENTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  Oliver  O.  Howard. 
Staff  

I 

I 

3 

ist  Indiana  Cavalry,  Companies  I  and  K.. 

FIRST  DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Francis  C.  Barlow. 
Brig.  Gen.  Adelbert  Ames. 
Staff  

3 

.... 

I 

3 

4 

I 

i 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Leopold  von  Gilsa. 
Staff  

I 

I 

I 
I 

I 

75 
1  02 
138 

211 

41  st  New  York  

14 

7 
7 

22 

8 

2 

4 
7 

50 

45 
59 
135 

4 

2 

2 
44 
65 
46 

54th  New  York  

68th  New  York  

I53d   Pennsylvania  

4 

50 

21 

289 

6 

157 

5-^7 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.  Adelbert  Ames. 
Col.  Andrew  L.  Harris. 

2 
I 

2 

18 
8 
14 
23 

4 

5 
7 
8 

77 
95 
67 
103 

2 

3 
4 

94 
72 

92 

77 

197 
184 
186 

211 

25th  Ohio  

75th  Ohio  

io/th  Ohio  

Total  Second  Brigade  

5 

63 

24 

342 

9 

335 

7/8 

Total  First  Division  

9 

U3 

46 

631 

15 

492 

1,306 

SECOND  DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Adolph  von  Steinwehr. 
Staff  

i 

i 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Charles  R.  Coster. 
I34th  New  York  

.     . 

i 

4i 

i 

4 

7 

4 
i 

3 

147 

20 
26 

27 

2 

9 
I 

57 
169 

75 

252 
200 
in 
34 

I54th  New  York  

27th  Pennsylvania  

2 

73d   Pennsylvania    

Total  First  Brigade  

3 

53 

8 

220 

12 

3oi 

597 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  151 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

1 
0 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Orland  Smith. 

7 

17 
6 

21 

I 
I 

3 

38 
88 
30 
H7 

45 
109 
49 

145 

I 
I 

2 
II 

4 

SI 

5 

273 

2 

17 

343 

3 

IO4 

H 

493 

14 

3i8 

946 

THIRD    DIVISION. 

Maj.    Gen.    Carl   Schurz. 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.  A.   Schimmelfennig. 
Col.  George  von  Amsberg. 

4 

I 

18 

4 

8s 

112 

ii 

I 

34 

14 

164 

224 

4 

23 

8 

158 

6 

108 

307 

2 

4 

6 

3° 

2 

10 

54 

2 

8 

4 

36 

2 

58 

no 

Total  First  Brigade  

8 

SO 

2O 

276 

28 

425 

807 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  W.  Krzyzanowski. 

i 

I 

2 

11 

3 

20 

2 

o 

4 

66 

I 

58 

I4O 

g2d   Ohio              

T7 

14. 

71 

2 

77 

181 

•7 

16 

C 

84 

7 

in 

2 

24. 

II 

118 

2 

60 

217 

12 

6^ 

^6 

?"?2 

e 

2O  I 

669 

2O 

TT7 

56 

628 

-37 

626 

1.4.76 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Maj.  Thomas  W.  Osborn. 

•J 

2 

8 

13 

8 

3 

II 

13 

13 

2 

I 

10 

2 

IS 

I 

I 

ii 

4 

17 

I 

6 

3 

50 

9 

60 

33 

336 

1  20 

1.802 

62 

1-448 

3,801 

152  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 

OB  MlSSIMJ. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

•s  . 
ss 
la 

H 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

TWELFTH  ARMY  CORPS. 
Brig.  Gen.  Alpheus  S.  Williams. 

FIRST  DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  H.  Ruger. 
First  Brigade. 
Col.  Archibald  L.  McDougall. 

2 

22 

6 

9 

8 

9 

5 
i 

7 

28 

8 

14 
10 

13 

5 

I 
I 
I 
I 

I 

I23<i  New  York  

3 
i 

2 

I 

i 

I45th  New  York  

I 

II 

4 

56 

I 

7 

80 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Henry  H.  Lockwood. 
1st  Maryland,  Potomac  Home  Brigade.... 
ist  Maryland   Eastern  Shore  

3 

20 

5 
7 

3 

77 
18 
23 

.... 

I 

2 
15 

104 

25 
45 

I50th  New  York  

3 

32 

3 

118 

18 

174 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.   Silas  Colgrove. 

23 

21 
I 

§ 
8 

3 

78 

101 

17 

2 

7 

.... 

i 
4 

IIO 

136 

21 

2 
10 

2 

I07th  New  York  

2 

I 

Total  Third  Brigade  

2 

47 

20 

205 

.... 

5 

279 

Total  First  Division  

6 

90 

27 

379 

I 

30 

533 

SECOND  DIVISION. 
Brig.  Gen.  John  W.  Geary 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Charles  Candy. 

5th  Ohio 

7th  Ohio 
2Qth  Ohio 
66th  Ohio 


- 

I 

I 

Tt 

18 

I 

17 

.... 

.... 

18 

c 

*  7T 

og 

•J 

14 

17 

-} 

I 

22 

2 

28 

A 

14 

114 

2 

T  in 

NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  153 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC, —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUKDKD. 

CAPTURED 
OB  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

i 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Thomas  L.  Kane. 
Col.  George  A.  Cobham,  Jr. 

2 

13 
3 

5 

I 

43 
6 
16 

.... 

8 
i 

66 

10 

22 

2 

21 

I 

65 

.... 

9 

98 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  S.   Greene. 

II 

6 

2 
36 

6 

2 

I 
I 

3 
3 

39 

20 

16 

84 

43 

I 

2 

8 

10 

3 

52 

30 

29 
137 
55 

78th  New  York    .           

2 

4 

I37th  New  York  

Total  Third  Brigade  

6 

61 

10 

202 

I 

23 

303 

12 

96 

16 

38i 

I 

34 

540 

Artillery  Brigade. 
Lieut.  Edward  D.  Muhlenberg. 

3 
i 

5 

3 

I 
5 

4th  United  States,  Battery  F  

5th  United  States,  Battery  K  „.... 

Total  Artillery  Brigade  

9 

9 

Total  Twelfth  Army  Corps  

18 

186 

43 

769 

2 

64 

I,CS2 

CAVALRY  CORPS. 
Maj.  Gen.  Alfred  Pleasonton. 

FIRST  DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  Buford. 
First  Brigade. 

Col.   William   Gamble. 

8th  Illinois 

I2th  Illinois  (four  companies)  

3d   Indiana  (six  companies)    

8th  New  York  . 


Total  First  Brigade 


Second  Brigade. 
Col.  Thomas  C.  Devin. 

6th  New  York 

9th  New  York 

I7th  Pennsylvania 

3d  West  Virginia  (two  companies) 

Total  Second  Brigade 


I 

I 

4 

.... 

I 

7 

4 

3 

7 

.... 

6 

20 

I 

5 

i 

20 

.... 

5 

32 

2 

i 

21 

16 

40 

I 

12 

6 

52 

28 

99 

I 

8 

n 

2 

.... 

2 

.... 

7 

II 

4 

4 

A 

2 

3 

23 

28 

154  J\EW   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OE  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Reserve  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Wesley  Merritt. 
6th  Pennsylvania  

3 
I 

3 

I 

7 
9 
6 
4 
23 

I 

5 

2 

5 
6 
i 
203 

12 
15 
17 
5 
242 

1st  United  States  .  .   

2d  United  States  

5th  United  States  

6th  United  States*  

6 

5 

Total  Reserve  Brigade  

13 

6 

49 

6 

217 

291 

Total  First  Division  

I 

27 

12 

104 

6 

268 

418 

SECOND   DIVISION. 

Brig.   Gen.   David  McM.   Gregg. 
First  Brigade. 
Col.  John  B.   Mclntosh. 
1st  Maryland  

2 

7 



i 

2 

6 

3 
9 

2 
21 

1st  New  Jersey  

2 

1st  Pennsylvania  

3d   Pennsylvania  

5 

10 

Total  First  Brigade  

7 

19 

9 

35 

Third  Brigade. 
Col.  J.  Irvin  Gregg. 
1st  Maine  

i 

2 
I 
2 

.... 

4 
4 

5 
9 
i 
6 

loth  New  York  

i 

2 

4th  Pennsylvania  

l6th  Pennsylvania  

Total  Third  Brigade  

6 

12 

i 

2 

21 

Total  Second  Division  

6 

7 

31 

i 

II 

56 

THIRD   DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  Judson  Kilpatrick. 
First  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.    Elon  J.   Farnsworth. 
Col.  Nathaniel  P.  Richmond. 
Staff  

I 

I 

6 
14 

65 

12 

5th  New  York  

i 

2 

13 
2 

3 

3 

I 
4 

22 
I 

i 

4 

8 
27 
3 

i8th  Pennsylvania  

i  st  Vermont  

ist  West  Virginia  

2 

3 

18 

6 

28 

i 

42 

98 

Second  Brigade- 
Brig.  Gen.  George  A.  Custer. 
1st  Michigan  

10 

7 
i 

13 

6 
i 

2 

4 

37 
29 

24 
44 

.... 

20 
18 
i 
39 

73 
56 

28 

IOO 

5th  Michigan  

I 

6th  Michigan  

7th  Michigan  

Total  Second  Brigade  

I 

3i 

13 

134 

78 

257 

Total  Third  Division   

4 

49 

19 

162 

i 

120 

355 

*  Loss  occurred  at  Fairfleld,  Pa.,  July  3d 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 
CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued, 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OR  MIS-SING. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted 
men. 

HORSE;   ARTILLERY. 

First  Brigade. 
Capt.  James  M.  Robertson. 
9th  Michigan    Battery   

I 

I 

4 
I 

5 
I 
I 

I 

6th  New  York    Battery                     .  .    . 

I 

2 

I 

5 

8 

Second  Brigade. 
Capt  John  C  Tidball. 
1st  United  States,  Battery  K  

2 

.... 

i 

12 

.... 

.... 

3 

12 

2d  United  States,  Battery  A  

Total  Second  Brigade  

2 

13 

15 

Total  Cavalry  Corps  

5 

86 

39 

315 

8 

399 

852 

ARTILLERY   RESERVE. 

Brig.  Gen.  Robert  O.  Tyler. 
Capt.  James   M.   Robertson. 


First  Regular  Brigade. 
Capt.  Dunbar  R.  Ransom. 
1st  United  States,  Battery  H  

i 

i 

7 

I 

10 

3d  United  States,  Batteries  F  and  K.. 

i 

8 

H 

i 

24 

4th  United  States,  Battery  C 

i 

i 

16 

18 

5th  United  States,  Battery  C  .  .  . 

2 

2 

12 

16 

Total  First  Regular  Brigade  

i 

12 

4 

49 

2 

68 

First  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Lieut.   Col.  Freeman   McGilvery. 
5th  Massachusetts  Light,   Battery  * 

4 

I 

16 

21 

Qth  Massachusetts  Light,  Battery 

i 

7 

2 

16 

... 

2 

28 

I5th  New  York  Light,  Battery 

3 

2 

ii 

16 

Pennsylvania  Light,  Batteries  C  and  F 

2 

5 

18 

.... 

3 

28 

Total  First  Volunteer  Brigade 

i 

16 

10 

61 

5 

93 

Second  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Capt  Elijah  D.  Taft 
2d   Connecticut  Light,   Battery 

2 

5th  New  York  Light,  Battery 

j 

2 

Total  Second  Volunteer  Brigade  .  .  . 

i 

5 

2 

8 

woimded 


Y°rk  Battery  attached-  whose  losses,  here  included,   were  two    men  killed  and  three  me 


156  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  ETC. —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

KILLED. 

WOUNDED. 

CAPTURED 
OB  MISSING. 

Aggregate. 

i' 

8 

8 
E 
0 

Enlisted 
men. 

09 

K 

V 

a 

E 
o 

Enlisted 
men. 

z 

3 
6 

6 
0 

Enlisted 
men. 

Third  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Capt-  James  F.  Huntington. 
1st  New  Hampshire  Light    Battery  

3 

5 
13 

2 

3 
7 
23 
4 

1st  Ohio  Light,  Battery  H   

2 

6 

2 

i 

1st  Pennsylvania  Light,  Batteries  F  and  G.  . 
West  Virginia  Light   Battery  C  

3 

Total  Third  Volunteer  Brigade  

10 

i 

23 

3 

37 

Fourth  Volunteer  Brigade. 
Capt  Robert  H.  Fitzhugh. 
6th  Maine  Light,  Battery  

13 

7 
7 
7 

13 
9 
7 
7 

2 

.... 

ist  New  York  Light,  Battery  G  

ist  New  York  Light,  Battery  K*  

Total  Fourth  Volunteer  Brigade  

2 

34 



36 

Total  Artillery  Reserve  

2 

41 

15 

172 

12 

242 

RECAPITULATION. 


General  Headquarters  

2 

2 

First  Army  Corps  

.,, 

624 

262 

2  060 

0- 

Second  Army  Corps  

66 

27O 

Third  Army  Corps  

CO 

1:4.-? 

2  778 

1A 

4-369 

Fifth  Army  Corps  

?8 

-i-i-7 

1  20 

I  482 

J 

2 

25 

1A 

T7T 

Eleventh  Army  Corps  

•>•» 

120 

I  8O2 

62 

T   /(  18 

242 

•5   8/-1T 

18 

186 

1,440 
fi^ 

e 

86 

to 

Tf  e 

Q 

04 

I,O»2 

Artillery  Reserve  

2 

At 

TC 

T7-? 

399 

O52 

Total  Army  of  the  Potomac  

2461 

2  909! 

I    145 

0 

in 

5  r8? 

" 

23,049 

*  Eleventh  New  York  Battery  attached. 
from  wounds  and  missing  ones  who  were  killed. 


tThis  number  (246+2,909)  was  Increased  to  5,291  by  deaths 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


157 


GENERAL  RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  UNION  FORCES 
DURING  THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN,  JUNE  3-AUGUST 
1,  1863. 


LOCATION. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured    or 
missing. 

Aggregate. 

Officers. 

Enlisted  men. 

Officer*. 

Enlisted  men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted  men. 

I 

3 
35 

3 

4 
5: 
83- 

2( 
i 
I' 

9* 

4,44: 

I5< 
30 
3< 

2?( 

9< 

2O( 
( 

4* 

K 

I7< 

7. 

K 
2. 

4< 
21. 

< 

r. 
23,040 

2 

4: 

6i 

K 

1C 
26; 
I2( 

6' 

8< 
i 

2! 

9' 

4c 

i] 
i" 

Franklin's  Crossing,  or  Deep  Run, 
Va     June  5—13                .    . 

9 

67 
4 

45 
356 

12 
2 
15 

33 
336 

i 
8 

Brandy    Station    (Fleetwood)    and 
Beverly  Ford,  Va.,  June  9  

10 

13 

356 
13 

2 

Stevensburg   Va     June  9.       .... 

Berryville    Va     June  13 

2 

6 

88 

Bunker  Hill    W   Va     June  13  

I 

7 

2 
12 

I 
144 

54 
3,856 

2 
140 
2 

118 

26 
225 

37 
66 

9 

4i 

2 

Winchester   Va     June  13-15  

Berryville    Va     June  14 

Martinsburg,  W.  Va.,  June  14  

4 

4 

I 

6 

Aldie    Va     June  17  

46 

3 

12 
12 

9 

122 

3 

24 
42 
117 

6 

Catoctin  Creek  and  Point  of  Rocks, 
Md     June  17 

Micldleburg    Va.,  June  17-18  

I 

4 

5 
4 
J3 

12 

I 

Near  Gainesville   Va     June  21      .  . 

Thoroughfare  Gap  and   Hay  Mar 
ket     Va     June  21—25                   •  •  • 

I 
I 
I 

6 

2 

Near  Aldie    Va     June  22            

McConnellsburg,  Pa     June  25  

IO 
I76 

52 

16 
ii 

Near    Fairfax    Court-House,    Va., 
Tune  27 

3 

i 

14 

3 

12 

7 
8 

67 

7 

12 

13,384 

4 
9 

3 

Near  Rockville    Md     June  28  

Wrightsville    Pa     June  28     

2 
17 

3 
5 

36 
118 

Hanover    Pa     June  30  

2 

6 

2 

Sporting    Hill,    near    Harrisburg, 

Carlisle    Pa     July  i               

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  1—4  

246 

I 

2,909 
I 
I 

1,145 
2 

3 

183 

5,i82 

13 
29 
67 

i 

18 

Fairfield  Gap    Pa     July  4  

Monterey  Gap    Pa     July  4   

i 
i 

Emmitsburg    Md     July  4  

Cunningham's     Cross-Roads,     Pa., 

2 

i 
5 
5 
45 
34 
i 
8 
49 
4 

17 
70 

27 

7 
6 

Near  Fairfield    Pa     July  5 

2 

Smithsburg    Md     July  5    

I 

5 
3 

4 
184 
66 

Ha^erstown    Md.    July  6  

3 

i 

16 

13 
I 

6 

8 

10 

3 

Williamsport    Md.,  July  6  

Downsville    Md     July  7                .  . 

Funkstown    Md.    July  7  

i 

5 

50 
18 

Boonsborough    Md     July  8  

Near  \Villiamsport    Md     July  8 

Benevola    or   Beaver   Creek,    Md., 

3 
14 

5 

2 

5 
5 

12 

2 

7 

Funkstown    Md     July  10—13  

7 
4 

i 
i 

Jones'  Cross-Roads,   Md..  July  ro- 

Tt 

Ashbv's  Gan.  Va..  Tulv  :?.  . 

2 

158  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

GENERAL  RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  UNION  FORCES  —  Continued. 


LOCATION. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured    or 
missing. 

a 

Ml 

LH 

Officers. 

-o 
W 

Officers. 

Enlisted  men. 

Officers. 

Enlisted  men. 

2 
56 

5 
30 

24 

2 

24 
I 

7 

121 

25 

5 
i 
104 
4 

5 
6 
6 
29 

25 

103 

6 
4 

30 
145 
242 

Falling  Waters    Md.   July  14  

3 

28 

2 

2 

I 

Near  Harper's  Ferry,  W.  Va.,  July 

Halltown    W   Va     July  15 

I 

2 

I 
64 

3 

4 
3 
3 

8 
81 

i 
i 

ii 

94 
6 

Shepherdstown    W   Va     July  15 

Shepherdstown    \V   Va     Tuly  16 

8 

8 

Snicker's  Gap    Va     July  17     

Hedgesville  and   Martinsburg,  W. 
Va     July  18—19.        

i 

3 
3 
8 
16 

Berry's  Ferry   Va     July  20  

Manassas  Gap    Va.,  July  21—22.  .  . 

9 
i 

Chester  Gap    Va.    July  21—22   

Wapping  Heights,   Manassas  Gap, 
Va    July  23  

3 

2 

Near     Gaines'     Cross-Roads,    Va., 

5 
3 

14 

20 
226 

Near  Snicker's  Gap    Va     July  23   . 

Battle     Mountain,    near    Newby's 
Cross-Roads   Va     July  24  

4 

21 
2 

I 
IO 

Brandy  Station   Va     August  i     ... 

Miscellaneous  affairs  en  routs  

8 

Total.             

287         3,355 

1,294 

15,282 

407 

11,418 

32,043 

NOTE.— With  the  exception  of  Winchester,  Gettysburg,  and  Wapping  Heights,  these  losses  occurred  in 
the  cavalry . 


YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


159 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  ON  THE 
GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN. 

June  3. —  The  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  commanded  by  Genu  Robert  E. 
Lee,  was  encamped  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Rappahannock  River  at  Fred 
ericksburg,  confronting  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  Maj.  Gen.  Joseph 
Hooker,  encamped  at  Falmouth  and  vicinity  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river. 
The  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  was  composed  of  the  three  corps  commanded 
by  Lieutenant  Generals  Longstreet,  Ewell,  and  A.  P.  Hill,  and  a  division  of 
cavalry  under  Major  General  Stuart.  Each  corps  contained  three  divisions  of 
infantry.  Longstreet's  Corps  held  the  centre  at  Fredericksburg;  Ewell's  held 
the  right  flank,  along  the  river  bslow  the  city;  Hill's  was  in  position  on  the 
left,  up  the  river  and  west  of  the  town.  Stuart's  Cavalry  Division  was  stationed 
farther  up  the  river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Culpeper  Court  House. 

A  forward  movement  of  the  army  having  been  ordered,  Longstreet's  Corps 
commenced  its  march  and  started  for  Oilpaper.  Ewell's  and  Hill's  Corps  at 
Fredericksburg. 

June  4. —  Early's  and  Rodes'  Divisions,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  left  their  camps  at 
Hamilton's  Crossing,  near  Fredericksburg,  and  marched  to  Spotsylvania  Court 
House,  Johnson's  Division  of  the  same  corps  remaining  at  Fredericksburg. 
Hill's  Corps  still  held  its  position  at  Fredericksburg. 

June  5. —  Johnson's  Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  left  its  camps  near  Hamilton's 
Crossing,  east  of  Fredericksburg,  and  started  on  its  march  to  Culpeper  Court 
House;  Rodes'  Division  moved  from  Spotsylvania  to  Old  Verdiersville.  Hill's 
Corps  at  Fredericksburg. 

June  6. —  Longstreet's  and  Ewell's  Corps  on  the  march  from  Fredericks 
burg  to  Culpeper  Court  House,  Hill's  Corps  at  Fredericksburg.  Stuart's 
Cavalry  at  Culpeper  Court  House  and  vicinity. 

June  7. —  Longstreet's  and  Ewell's  Corps  arrived  at  Culpeper  Court  House. 
Rodes'  Division  of  Ewell's  Corps  crossed  the  Rapidan  River  at  Raccoon  Ford, 
and,  passing  through  Culpeper  Court  House,  bivouacked  four  miles  beyond. 
Hill's  Corps  still  at  Fredericksburg. 

June  8. —  Longstreet's  and  Ewell's  Corps  encamped  at  Culpeper  Court 
House,  Hill's  Corps  at  Fredericksburg.  Stuart's  entire  cavalry  division  as 
sembled  at  Culpeper  Court  House. 

June  9. —  Longstreet's  and  Ewell's  Corps  at  Culpeper  Court  House;  Hill's  at 
Fredericksburg.  The  cavalry,  under  General  Stuart,  which  had  been  concen 
trated  near  Culpeper  Court  House,  was  attacked  by  the  Union  cavalry  near 
Beverly  Ford,  and  a  general  engagement  of  mounted  troops  ensued. 

June  10. —  Ewell's  Corps  left  Culpeper  Court  House,  and  moving  northward 
crossed  the  Shenandoah  River  above  Front  Royal;  Rodes'  Division  of  this 
corps  marching  from  Brandy  Station  to  Gourd  Vine  Church  on  the  Hazel 
River.  Longstreet's  Corps  at  Culpeper  Court  House,  and  Hill's  Corps  at 
Fredericksburg. 

*  Compiled  from  the  Confederate  official  reports.     [Ed. 


160  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

June  ii. —  Rodes'  Division,  of  Swell's  Corps,  marched  via  Games'  Cross 
Roads  to  Flint  Hill.  Long-street's  Corps  at  Culpeper  Court  House,  and  Hill's 
Corps  still  holding  Fredericksburg. 

June  T2. —  Rodes'  Division,  having  the  advance  of  EwelFs  Corps,  crossed 
tiii  Blue  .Ridge  through  Chester  Gap,  passing  through  Front  Royal  and 
Cedarville,  to  Stone  Bridge;  Early's  Division  moved  from  Washington  (Va.) 
to  Front  Royal.  Swell's  Corps  on  arriving  at  Cedarville  was  joined  by  Jen- 
kins'  Brigade  of  cavalry. 

June  13. —  Rodes'  Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  arrived  at  Berryville;  John 
son's  Division  marched  from  Cedarville  to  Kernstown;  Early's  Division  moved 
via  Nineveh  and  Newtown  to  Kernstown.  (Skirmishing  at  Kernstown.) 

June  14. —  Hill's  Corps  left  Fredericksburg;  Anderson's  Division  marched  as 
far  as  Chancellorsville.  Longstreet's  Corps  still  at  Culpeper  Court  House. 
Early's  and  Johnson's  Divisions,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  attacked  the  Union  forces  at 
Winchester,  capturing  and  dispersing  the  troops  under  General  Milroy.  Rodes' 
Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  moved  from  Berryville  to  Martinsburg. 

June  15. —  Longstreet's  Corps  left  Culpeper  Court  House  and  moved  along 
the  eastern  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  Hood's  Division  marching  from  Culpeper  to 
Little  Washington,  Rappahannock  County,  thirty-one  miles.  Rodes'  Division, 
of  Ewell's  Corps,  marched  from  Martinsburg  to  Williamsport,  where  it  crossed 
the  Potomac.  Early's  Division  remained  at  Winchester,  and  Johnson's  at 
Stephenson's,  five  miles  north  of  Winchester.  Anderson's  Division,  of  Hill's 
Corps,  moved  from  Chancellorsville,  across  the  Rapidan,  to  within  four  miles 
of  Stevensburg.  Heth's  and  Fender's  Divisions  left  Fredericksburg  en  route 
for  Culpeper  Court  House.  Fitz  Lee's  Brigade  of  cavalry  crossed  the  Rappa 
hannock,  and  advanced  with  Longstreet's  Corps  via  Barbee's  Cross  Roads. 
Hampton's  Brigade  of  cavalry  guarded  the  Rappahannock.  Jenkins'  Brigade 
of  cavalry,  attached  to  Ewell's  Corps,  crossed  the  Potomac  above  Williams- 
port  and  entered  Maryland. 

June  16. —  Jenkins'  Brigade  of  cavalry  advanced  to  Chambersburg,  Pa. 
Rodes'  Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  rested  at  Williamsport;  Early's  Division  re 
mained  at  Winchester;  Johnson's  Division  marched  from  Stephenson's  to  Shep- 
herdstown;  McLaws'  Division  of  Longstreet's  Corps  reached  Sperryville; 
Hood's  Division  moved  from  Little  Washington  to  Markham  Station  on  the 
Manassas  Gap  Railroad,  twenty  miles;  Pickett's  Division  arrived  at  Games' 
Cross  Roads.  Anderson's  Division,  of  Hill's  Corps,  arrived  at  Culpeper  Court 
House. 

June  17. —  McLaws'  Division,  of  Longstreet's  Corps,  moved  from  Sperry 
ville  to  Mud  Run,  in  Fauquier  County;  Hood's  Division  marched  to  Upper- 
vflle,  and  Pickett's  Division  to  Piedmont.  Anderson's  Division,  of  Hill's  Corps, 
moved  from  Culpeper  Court  House  to  the  Hazel  River.  Rodes'  Division,  of 
Ewell's  Corps,  rested  at  Williamsport,  Md.;  Early's  Division,  at  Winchester; 
and  Johnson's  Division,  at  Shepherdstown.  Fitz  Lee's  Brigade  of  cavalry 
moved  from  Piedmont  via  Middleburg  towards  Aldie;  W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Brigade 
of  cavalry  held  Thoroughfare  Gap;  Robertson's  Brigade  of  cavalry  encamped 
near  Rectortown.  (Cavalry  battle  at  Aldie,  Va.) 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  161 

June  18. —  Johnson's  Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  crossed  the  Potomac  at 
Boteler's  Ford  and  marched  to  Sharpsburg,  Md.;  Early's  Division  moved  from 
Winchester  to  Shepherdstown;  Rodes'  Division  remained  at  Williamsport.  Mc- 
Laws'  Division,  of  Longstreet's  Corps,  arrived  at  Piedmont;  Hood's,  at 
Snicker's  Ford,  on  the  Shenandoah  River;  and  Pickett's,  at  Paris.  Anderson's 
Division,  of  Hill's  Corps,  marched  from  Hazel  River  to  Flint  Hill;  Fender's 
Division  arrived  at  Culpeper  Court  House.  The  cavalry  brigades  of  Robert 
son  and  W.  H.  F.  Lee  were  at  Middleburg;  Fitzhugh  Lee's  Brigade,  at  Union; 
Hampton's  Brigade,  at  Warrenton. 

June  19. —  McLaws'  Division,  of  Longstreet's  Corps,  moved  to  Ashby's 
Gap;  Hood's  Division,  to  Snicker's  Gap;  Pickett's  Division  took  position  in 
supporting  distance.  Rodes'  Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  moved  from  Williams- 
port  to  Hagerstown.  Anderson's  Division,  of  Hill's  Corps,  marched  from  Flint 
Hill,  and,  passing  through  Front  Royal,  crossed  the  Shenandoah  River.  The 
cavalry  brigades  of  Robertson  and  W.  H.  F.  Lee  were  at  Middleburg;  Fitzhugh 
Lee's  Brigade  was  near  Snickersville;  Jones's  Brigade  joins  the  cavalry  division 
and  takes  a  position  near  Union.  (Cavalry  battle  at  Middleburg.) 

June  20. —  McLaws'  Division,  of  Longstreet's  Corps,  crossed  the  Shenandoah 
River  at  Berry's  Ford;  Hood's  Division  recrossed  the  river  and  encamped. 
Anderson's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  moved  via  White  Post  to  a  point  two  miles 
beyond.  Rodes'  Division,  of  Ewell's  Corps,  halted  at  Hagerstown,  Md.  Hamp 
ton's  Brigade  rejoins  Stuart's  Cavalry  Division  at  Middleburg. 

June  21. —  McLaws'  Division,  Longstreet's  Corps,  recrossed  the  river  and 
formed  line  of  battle  near  Paris,  in  support  of  Stuart's  cavalry;  Hood's  Division, 
in  camp  near  Snicker's  Ford.  Rodes'  Division,  Ewell's  Corps,  at  Hagerstown. 
Anderson's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  marched  to  Berryville.  Stuart's  Division  of 
cavalry  engaged  at  Upperville. 

June  22. —  Rodes'  and  Johnson's  Divisions,  Ewell's  Corps,  and  Jenkins'  Brig 
ade  of  caval-y  moved  from  Hagerstown,  Md.,  to  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  Rodes' 
Division  halting  near  Greencastle;  Early's  Division,  same  corps,  crossed  the 
Potomac  at  Shepherdstown,  and,  marching  through  Sharpsburg,  encamped  on 
the  Hagerstown  Road,  three  miles  from  Boonsborough.  Anderson's  Division, 
Hill's  Corps,  marched  from  Berryville  to  Roper's  Farm,  on  the  road  to  Charles- 
town.  Hood's  Division,  Longstreet's  Corps,  moved  to  Millwood.  Stuart's 
Cavalry  was  concentrated  near  Upperville. 

June  23. —  Rodes'  Division,  Ewell's  Corps,  at  Greencastle,  Pa.;  Early's  Divis 
ion  moved  from  Boonsborough  via  Cavetown,  Smithsburg,  and  Ridgeville  to 
Waynesborough.  Anderson's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  arrived  at  Shepherds- 
town.  Hood's  Division,  Longstreet's  Corps,  encamped  at  Millwood.  Stuart's 
Cavalry  occupied  a  position  near  Rector's  Cross  Roads. 

June  24. — Rodes'  Division,  Ewell's  Corps,  marched  from  Greencastle,  Pa., 
through  Chambersburg  to  the  Conococheague  River;  Early's  Division  from 
Waynesborough  through  Quincy  and  Altodale  to  Greenwood,  Pa.  McLaws' 
Division,  Longstreet's  Corps,  arrived  at  Summit  Point,  and  Hood's  Division,  at 
Bunker  Hill;  Pickett's  Division  marched  from  Berryville  to  Darkesville.  An 
derson's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  crossed  the  Potomac  and  marched  to  Boons- 
II 


162  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

borough;  Fender's  Division  arrived  at  Shepherdstown.  The  three  cavalry 
brigades  of  Hampton,  Fitzhugh  Lee,  and  W.  H.  F.  Lee  —  under  command  of 
General  Stuart  —  moved  to  Salem  Depot.  Robertson's  and  Jones's  Brigades 
of  Cavalry  remained  near  Upperville. 

June  25. —  Rodes'  and  Johnson's  Divisions,  Ewell's  Corps,  moved  from 
Chambersburg  en  route  for  Carlisle,  Pa. ;  Early's  Division  rested  at  Greenwood, 
Pa.  Anderson's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  marched  from  Boonsborough  to 
Hagerstown,  Md.;  Fender's  Division  crossed  the  Potomac  at  Shepherdstown 
and  marched  to  Fayetteville.  McLaws'  Division,  Longstreet's  Corps,  moved 
from  Summit  Point  to  Martinsburg,  Va.;  Hood's  Division  arrived  at  Falling 
Waters,  on  the  Potomac;  Pickett's  Division  and  Reserve  Artillery  crossed  the 
Potomac  at  Williamsport.  The  three  brigades  of  cavalry  under  Stuart  moved 
from  Salem  Depot  to  Hay  Market,  Va.  Jenkins'  Brigade  of  cavalry  moved 
with  Rodes'  Division  in  its  advance  on  Carlisle. 

June  26. —  Rodes'  and  Johnson's  Divisions,  Ewell's  Corps,  and  Jenkins' 
Brigade  of  cavalry  were  on  the  road  between  Chambersburg  and  Carlisle; 
Early's  Division  moved  from  Greenwood,  across  the  South  Mountain  via  Cash- 
town  to  Mummasburg,  his  cavalry  advance  having  a  skirmish  with  a  regiment 
of  Pennsylvania  militia.  Gordon's  Brigade  entered  Gettysburg  and  occupied 
the  town  for  a  few  hours.  McLaws'  Division,  Longstreet's  Corps,  crossed  the 
Potomac  and  encamped  near  Williamsport;  Hood's  Division  crossed  at  Wil 
liamsport,  and  marched  to  Greencastle,  Pa.;  Pickett's  Division  passed  through 
Hagerstown  to  Greencastle,  Pa.  Anderson's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  marched 
from  Hagerstown  to  a  point  two  miles  beyond  Greencastle.  Stuart's  Cavalry  — 
three  brigades  —  moved  from  Buckland,  through  Brentsville,  to  near  Wolf 
Run  Shoals. 

June  27. —  Rodes'  and  Johnson's  Divisions,  Ewell's  Corps,  arrived  at  Car 
lisle,  Pa. ;  Early's  Division,  same  corps,  moved  from  Mummasburg  via  Hunters- 
town,  New  Chester,  and  Hampton,  to  Berlin,  Pa.  McLaws'  Division,  Long- 
street's  Corps,  marched  from  Williamsport  via  Hagerstown,  Middleburg,  and 
Greencastle;  encamping  within  five  miles  of  Chambersburg;  Hood's  Division 
arrived  at  Chambersburg;  Pickett's  Division  passed  through  Chambersburg, 
and  encamped  three  miles  north  of  that  place.  Anderson's  Division,  Hill's 
Corps,  marched  through  Chambersburg  to  Fayetteville.  Stuart's  three  brigades 
of  cavalry  moved  from  Wolf  Run  Shoals,  on  the  Occoquan  River,  via  Fairfax 
Station  and  Dranesville,  crossing  the  Potomac  into  Maryland  at  a  point  below 
the  mouth  of  Seneca  Creek. 

June  28. —  Rodes'  and  Johnson's  Divisions,  Ewell's  Corps,  were  at  Carlisle; 
Early's  Division  moved  from  Berlin,  via  Weigelstown  to  York;  Gordon's  Brig 
ade  going  on  to  Wrightsville  on  the  Susquehanna.  Hill's  Corps  halted  at 
Fayetteville.  Longstreet's  Corps  was  encamped  at  or  near  Chambersburg. 
Stuart's  Cavalry  moved  via  Darnestown  and  Rockville  to  Brookeville. 

June  29. —  Heth's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  moved  from  Fayetteville  to  Cash- 
town;  Fender's  and  Anderson's  Divisions  remained  at  Fayetteville,  on  the 
Chambersburg  and  Gettysburg  Road.  Johnson's  Division,  Ewell's  Corps, 
countermarched  from  Carlisle  to  Greenville;  Rodes'  Division  at  Carlisle;  Early's 
Division  at  York  and  Wrightsville.  Longstreet's  Corps  remained  in  position 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  163 

at  or  near  Chambersburg.  Stuart's  Cavalry  moved  through  Cooksville,  Sykes- 
ville  and  Westminster  to  Union  Mills. 

June  30. —  Fender's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  moved  from  Fayetteville  to  Cash- 
town;  Heth's  Division  at  Cashtown;  Anderson's  at  Fayetteville.  Rodes'  Divis 
ion,  E well's  Corps,  moved  from  Carlisle  via  Petersburg  to  Heidlersburg;  Early's 
Division  moved  from  York  through  Weigelstown  and  East  Berlin  and  en 
camped  three  miles  from  Heidlersburg;  Johnson's  Division  marched  from 
Greenville  to  Scotland.  Hood's  and  McLaws'  Divisions,  Longstreet's  Corps, 
moved  from  Chambersburg  to  Fayetteville;  Pickett's  Division  remained  at 
Chambersburg.  Stuart's  Cavalry  moved  from  Union  Mills  through  Hanover 
to  Jefferson.  (Cavalry  engagement  at  Hanover.) 

July  i. —  Heth's  and  Fender's  Divisions,  Hill's  Corps,  marched  from  Cash- 
town  to  Gettysburg;  Anderson's  Division  moved  from  Fayetteville  via  Cash- 
town  to  Gettysburg.  Rodes'  Division,  Ewell's  Corps,  marched  from  Heidlers 
burg  via  Middletown  to  Gettysburg;  Early's  Division  passed  through  Heidlers 
burg  and  marched  on  the  direct  road  to  Gettysburg;  Johnson's  Division 
marched  from  Scotland  to  Gettysburg.  McLaws'  and  Hood's  Divisions,  Long- 
street's  Corps,  marched  from  Fayetteville  to  Marsh  Creek,  within  four  miles  of 
Gettysburg;  Pickett's  Division  remained  with  the  wagon  trains  at  Chambers 
burg.  Stuart's  Cavalry  moved  from  Dover  through  Dillsburg  to  Carlisle. 
Jones'  Brigade  of  cavalry  crossed  the  Potomac  at  Williamsport,  and  moved  to 
Greencastle,  Pa. 

July  2. —  Hood's  and  McLaws'  Divisions,  Longstreet's  Corps,  marched  from 
Marsh  Creek  to  the  field  at  Gettysburg;  Law's  Brigade,  of  Hood's  Division, 
marched  from  New  Guilford  to  Gettysburg,  arriving  on  the  field  at  noon; 
Pickett's  Division  marched  from  Chambersburg  to  Gettysburg,  arriving  at  a 
point  near  Gettysburg  after  dark.  Stuart's  Cavalry  moved  from  Carlisle  via 
Hunterstown  to  Gettysburg.  Hampton's  Brigade,  which -had  the  advance,  be 
came  engaged  with  the  enemy  at  Hunterstown.  Jones's  Brigade  of  cavalry 
moved  from  Greencastle  to  Chambersburg. 

July  3. —  Pickett's  Division,  Longstreet's  Corps,  arrived  on  the  field  of 
Gettysburg  at  9  a.  m.  Robertson's  and  Jones's  Brigades  of  cavalry,  moving 
from  Chambersburg  via  Cashtown,  arrived  at  Fairfield.  (About  two  miles 
from  Fairfield  Jones's  Brigade  encountered  the  Sixth  United  States  Cavalry  of 
Buford's  Division.)  Jones'  Brigade  took  position  on  the  right  flank  of  the 
army.  Imboden's  Brigade  of  mounted  troops  arrived  on  the  field  at  noon. 

July  4. —  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  in  position  at  Gettysburg;  started  at 
night  on  its  return  to  Virginia,  moving  via  Fairfield  and  Waynesborough  on 
tlie  Hagerstown  Road. 

July  5. —  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  en  route  to  the  Potomac.  Hill's  Corps 
had  the  advance;  Longstreet's  the  centre;  and  Ewell's,  the  rear,  Early's  Divis 
ion  forming  the  rear  guard.  Two  brigades  of  cavalry  under  Fitzhugh  Lee 
moved  by  the  Cashtown  Road,  en  route  to  Williamsport  via  Greenwood.'  The 
cavalry  brigades  of  Jenkins  and  Chambliss,  under  General  Stuart,  moved  via 
Emmitsburg.  Robertson's  and  Jones's  Brigades  of  cavalry  held  the  Jack 
Mountain  passes.  Imboden's  Brigade,  in  charge  of  the  wagon  trains,  arrived 
at  Greencastle  in  the  morning,  and  at  Williamsport  in.  the  afternoon. 


164  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

july  5. —  The  army  arrived  at  Hagerstown,  Md.,  Rodes'  Division,  of  Ewell's 
Corps,  serving  as  rear  guard.  Early's  Division  moved  through  Monterey 
Springs  to  Waynesborough.  McLaws'  Division  marched  through  Hagers- 
town,  via  Waterloo,  and  encamped  near  Funkstown.  Stuart's  Cavalry  at 
Hagerstown.  (Cavalry  engagement  in  front  of  Hagerstown.) 

July  7. —  Early's  Division,  Ewell's  Corps,  moved  via  Leitersburg  and  en 
camped  one  mile  north  of  Hagerstown  on  the  Chambersburg  Pike.  Ander 
son's  Division,  Hill's  Corps,  arrived  at  Hagerstown  in  the  morning,  encamping 
about  two  miles  from  the  town,  where  it  remained  until  the  loth.  Jenkins'  Brig 
ade  of  cavalry  moved  to  Downsville,  and  went  into  position. 

July  8. —  Army  in  position  at  Hagerstown  and  Williamsport.  Stuart's  Cav 
alry  moved  out  towards  Boonsborough.  (Cavalry  engagement  at  Boonsborough.) 

July  9. —  Stuart's  Cavalry  in  position  in  front  of  Funkstown. 

July  10. —  Early's  Division,  Ewell's  Corps,  moved  through  Hagerstown  to  a 
point  on  the  Cumberland  Road,  southwest  of  Hagerstown.  Anderson's  Divis 
ion,  Hill's  Corps,  moved  about  three  miles  beyond  Hagerstown  towards  Wil 
liamsport. 

July  II. —  Anderson's  Division  moved  two  miles  nearer  Williamsport.  Fitz- 
hugh  Lee's  Brigade  of  cavalry  retired  from  Downsville  to  the  main  line,  taking 
position  with  Chambliss'  Brigade  on  the  left  flank.  Jones's  Brigade  of  cav 
alry  occupied  a  line  on  the  Funkstown  and  Cavetown  Roads. 

July  12. —  Stuart's  Cavalry  fell  back  along  the  roads  leading  to  Hagerstown, 
and  took  position  on  the  left  of  the  army. 

July  13. —  The  army  recrossed  the  Potomac  into  Virginia.  Johnson's  Divis 
ion  forded  the  river  one  mile  above  Williamsport.  Hill's  Corps  crossed  on  a 
pontoon  bridge  at  Falling  Waters. 

July  14. —  The  army  completed  its  crossing  of  the  Potomac  at  i  o'clock,  p.  m., 
part  of  the  troops  fording  the  river  at  Williamsport,  and  part  crossing  on  the 
pontoon  bridge  at  Falling  Waters.  Heth's  Division  of  Hill's  Corps  formed  the 
rear  guard  and  covered  the  crossing.  (Skirmish  at  Falling  Waters.) 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  165 


ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA,  COM 
MANDED  BY  GEN.  ROBERT  E.  LEE,  C.  S.  A.,  AT  THE  BATTLE 
OF  GETTYSBURG,  JULY  1-3,  1863. 


FIRST  ARMY   CORPS. 
Lieut.  Gen.  James  Longstreet. 

M'LAWS'  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  Lafayette  McLaws. 

Kershaw's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  B.  Kershaw. 

2d  South  Carolina   Col.  J.  D.  Kennedy. 

Lieut.  Col.  F.  Gaillard. 
3d   South  Carolina   Maj.  R.  C.  Maffett. 

Col.  J.  D.  Nance. 

7th  South  Carolina   Col.  D.  Wyatt  Aiken. 

8th  South  Carolina   Col.  J.  W.  Henagan. 

I5th  South  Carolina   Col.  W.  D.  DeSaussure. 

Maj.  William  M.  Gist. 
3d  South  Carolina  Battalion   Lieut.  Col.  W.  G.  Rice. 

Barksdale's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  Barksdale.* 
Col.    B.    G.    Humphreys. 

I3th  Mississippi Col.  J.  W.  Carter. 

I7th  Mississippi Col.  W.  D.  Holder. 

Lieut.  Col.  John  C.  Fiser. 
i8th  Mississippi Col.  T.  M.  Griffin. 

Lieut.  Col.  W.  H.  Luse. 
zist  Mississippi Col.  B.  G.  Humphreys. 

Semmes'  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  P.  J.  Semmes.* 
Col.  Goode  Bryan. 

loth  Georgia Col.  John  B.  Weems. 

5oth  Georgia Col.  W.  R.  Manning. 

Sist  Georgia Col.  E.  Ball. 

53d   Georgia Col.  James  P.  Simms. 

Wofford's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  W.  T.  Wofford. 

i6th  Georgia Col.  Goode  Bryan. 

i8th  Georgia Lieut.  Col.  S.  Z.   Ruff. 

24th  Georgia Col.  Robert  McMillan. 

Cobb's  (Georgia)  Legion Lieut.  Col.  Luther  J.  Glenn. 

Phillips'  (Georgia)  Legion  Lieut.  Col.  E.  S.  Barclay. 

Artillery. 
Col.  H.  C.  Cabell. 

1st  North  Carolina  Artillery,  Battery  A...    Capt.  B.  C.  Manly. 
Pulaski  (Georgia)  Artillery Capt.  J.  C.  Fraser. 

Lieut.  W.  J.  Furlong. 

ist  Richmond  Howitzers   Capt.  E.  S.  McCarthy. 

Troup  (Georgia)  Artillery  Capt.  H.  H.  Carlton. 

Lieut.  C.  W.  Motes. 

»  Killed. 


166  NE\V  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

PICKETT'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  George  E.  Pickett. 

Garnett's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  R.  B.  Garnett.* 
Maj.  C.  S.  Peyton. 

8th  Virginia Col.  Eppa  Hunton. 

i8th  Virginia Lieut.  Col.  H.  A.  Carrington. 

ipth  Virginia Col.  Henry  Gantt. 

Lieut.  Col.  John  T.  Ellis. 
28th  Virginia Col.  R.  C.  Allen. 

Lieut.  Col.  William  Watts. 
56th  Virginia Col.  W.  D.  Stuart. 

Lieut.  Col.  P.  P.  Slaughter. 

Kemper's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  L.  Kemper.t 
Col.  Joseph  Mayo,  Jr. 

ist  Virginia Col.  Lewis   B.  Williams. 

Lieut.  Col.  F.  G.  Skinner. 

3d   Virginia Col.  Joseph  Mayo,  Jr. 

Lieut.  Col.  A.   D.  Callcote. 

7th  Virginia Col.  W.  T.  Patton. 

Lieut.  Col.  C.  C.  Flowerree. 

nthVirginia Maj.  Kirkwood  Otey. 

24th  Virginia Col.  William  R.  Terry. 

Armistead's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  L.  A.  Armistead.* 
Col.  W.  R.  Aylett. 

pth  Virginia Maj.  John  C.  Owens. 

I4th  Virginia Col.  James  G.  Hodges. 

Lieut.   Col.  William  White. 
38th  Virginia Col.  E.  C.   Edmonds. 

Lieut.  Col.  P.  B.  Whittle. 

53d    Virginia Col.  W.  R.  Aylett. 

57th  Virginia Col.  John  Bowie  Magruder. 

Artillery. 
Maj.  James  Bearing. 

Fauquier  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  R.  M.  Stribling. 

Hampden  (Virginia)  Artillery   Capt.  W.  H.  Caskie. 

Richmond  Fayette  Artillery   Capt.  M.  C.  Macon. 

Virginia  Battery Capt.  Joseph  G.  Blount. 

HOOD'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  B.  Hood.t 
Brig.  Gen.  E.  M.  Law. 

Law's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.   E.  M.   Law. 
Col.   James    L.    Sheffield. 

4th  Alabama Lieut.  Col.  L.  H.  'Scruggs. 

I5th  Alabama Col.  William  C.  Gates. 

Capt.  B.  A.  Hill. 

44th  Alabama Col.  William  F.  Perry. 

47th  Alabama Col.  James  W.  Jackson. 

Lieut.  Col.  M.  J.  Bulger. 

Maj.  J.  M.  Campbell. 
48th  Alabama Col.  James  L.  Sheffield. 

Capt.  T.  J.  Eubanks. 

*  Killed.  t  Wounded. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  167 

Robertson's  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.  J.   B.  Robertson. 

3d    Arkansas Col.  Van  H.  Manning. 

Lieut.  Col.  R.  S.  Taylor. 

1st  Texas Lieut.  Col.  P.  A.  Work. 

4th  Texas Col.  J.  C.  Key. 

.   _  Maj.  J.   P.  Bane. 

5th  Texas Col.  R.  M.  Powell. 

Lieut.  Col.  K.  Bryan. 
Maj.  J.  C.  Rogers. 

Anderson's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  T.  Anderson.* 
Lieut.    Col.   William    Luffman. 

7th  Georgia Col.  W.  W.  White. 

8th  Georgia Col.  John  R.  Towers. 

9th  Georgia Lieut.  Col.  J.  C.  Mounger. 

Maj.  W.  M.  Jones. 

Capt.  G.  Hillyer. 
iith  Georgia Col.  F.  H.  Little. 

Lieut.  Col.  W.  Luffman. 

Maj.  H.  D.  McDaniel. 

Capt.  W.  H.  Mitchell 
59th  Georgia Col.  Jack  Brown. 

Capt.  M.  G.  Bass. 

Bennings  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Henry  L.  Banning. 

2d    Georgia Lieut.  Col.  William  T.  Harris. 

Maj.  W.  S.  Shepherd. 

i5th  Georgia Col.  D.  M.  Du  Bose. 

1 7th  Georgia Col.  W.  C.  Hodges. 

^oth  Georgia Col.  John  A.  Jones. 

Lieut  Col.  J.  D.  WaddelL 

Artillery. 
Maj.  M.  W.  Henry. 

Branch  (North  Carolina)  Artillery Capt.  A.  C.  Latham. 

German  (South  Carolina)  Artillery Capt.  William  K.  Bachman. 

Palmetto  (South  Carolina)   Light  Artillery..  Capt.  Hugh  R.  Garden. 

Rowan  (North  Carolina)  Artillery  Capt.  James  Reilly. 

ARTILLERY    RESERVE. 

Col.  J.   B.  Walton. 

Alexander's  Battalion. 
Col.   E.    P.   Alexander. 

Ashland  (Virginia)  Artillery  Capt.  P.  Woolfolk,  Jr. 

Lieut.  James  Woolfolk. 

Bedford  (Virginia)  Artillery  Capt.  T.  C.  Jordan. 

Brooks  (South  Carolina)  Artillery   Lieut.  S.  C.  Gilbert. 

Madison  (Louisiana)  Light  Artillery Capt.  George  V.  Moody. 

Virginia  Battery Capt.  W.  W.  Parker. 

Virginia  Battery Capt.  O.  B.  Taylor. 

Washington  (Louisiana)  Artillery. 
Maj.  B.  F.  Eshleman. 

First  Company Capt.  C.  W.  Squires. 

Second  Company    Capt.  J.  B.  Richardson. 

Third  Company Capt.  M.  B.  Miller. 

Fourth   Company    Capt.  Joe  Norcom. 

Lieut.  H.  A.  Battles. 

»  Wounded. 


i68  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

SECOND  ARMY  CORPS. 
Lieut.  Gen.  Richard  S.  Ewell. 

ESCORT. 
Randolph's  Company  Virgin :i  Cavalry Capt.  William  F.  Randolph. 

EARLY'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  Jubal  A.   Early. 

Hays'  Brigade. 
Brig.    Gen.    Harry   T.    Hays. 

5th  Louisiana  . .  T-.  -. Maj.  Alexander  Hart. 

Capt.  T.  H.  Biscoe. 

6th  Louisiana Lieut.  Col.  Joseph  Hanlon. 

7th  Louisiana Col.  D.  B.  Penn. 

8th  Louisiana Col.  T.  D.  Lewis. 

Lieut.  Col.  A.  de  Blanc. 

Maj.  G.  A.  Lester. 
pth  Louisiana Col.  Leroy  A.  Stafford, 

Smith's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  Smith. 

3ist  Virginia Col.  John  S.  Hoffman. 

49th  Virginia Lieut.  Col.  J.  Catlett  Gibson. 

52d    Virginia Lieut.  Col.  James  H.  Skinner. 

Hake's  Brigade. 
Col.  Isaac  E.  Avery.* 
Col.    A.    C.    Godwin. 

6th  North  Carolina Maj.  S.  McD.  Tate. 

2ist  North  Carolina  Col.  W.  W.  Kirkland. 

57th  North  Carolina Col.  A.  C.  Godwin. 

Gordon's  Brigade. 
Brig.    Gen.   J.    B.    Gordon. 

I3th  Georgia Col.  James  M.   Smith. 

26th  Georgia Col.  E.  N.  Atkinson. 

3ist  Georgia Col.  Clement  A.  Evans. 

38th  Georgia Capt.  William  L.  McLeod. 

6oth  Georgia Capt.  W.  B.  Jones. 

6ist  Georgia Col.  John  H.  Lamar. 

Artillery. 
Lieut.  Col.  H.  P.  Jones. 

Charlottesville  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  James  McD.  Carrington. 

Courtney  (Virginia)  Artillery  Capt.  W.  A.  Tanner. 

Louisiana  Guard  Artillery  Capt.  C.  A.  Green. 

Staunton  (Virginia)  Artillery  Capt.  A.  W.  Garber. 

JOHNSON'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  Edward  Johnson. 

Steuart's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  H.  Steuart 

ist  Maryland   Battalion   Infantry    Lieut.  Col.  J.  R.  Herbert. 

Maj.  W.  W.  Goldsborough. 
Capt.  J.  P.  Crane. 

ist  North  Carolina  Lieut.  Col.  H.  A.  Brown. 

3d    North  Carolina Maj.  W.  M.  Parsley. 

loth  Virginia Col.  E.  T.  H.  Warren. 

23d    Virginia Col.  S.  T.  Walton. 

37th  Virginia Maj.  H.  C.  Wood. 

*  Killed. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  169 

Stonewall  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  James  A.  Walker. 

2d    Virginia Col.  J.  Q.  A.  Nadenbousch. 

4th  Virginia Maj.  William  Terry. 

5th  Virginia Col.  J.  H.  S.  Funk. 

27th  Virginia Lieut.  Col.  D.  M.  Shriver. 

33d    Virginia Capt.  J.  B.  Golladay. 

Nicholls'  Brigade. 
Col.  J.   M.   Williams. 

ist  Louisiana Capt.  E.  D.  Willett. 

2d    Louisiana Lieut.  Col.  R.  E.  Burke. 

loth  Louisiana Maj.  T.  N.  Powell. 

I4th  Louisiana Lieut.  Col.  David  Zable. 

I5th  Louisiana Maj.  Andrew  Brady. 

Jones'  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  John  M.  Jones.* 
Lieut.  Col.  R.  H.   Dungan. 

2ist  Virginia Capt.  W.  P.  Moseley. 

25th  Virginia Col.  J.  C.  Higginbotham. 

Lieut.  Col.  J.  A.  Robinson. 
42d    Virginia Lieut.  Col.  R.  W.  Withers. 

Capt.  S.  H.  Saunders. 
44th  Virginia Maj.  N.  Cobb. 

Capt.  T.  R.  Buckncr. 
48th  Virginia Lieut.  Col.  R.  H.  Dungan. 

Maj.  Oscar  White. 
5oth  Virginia Lieut.  Col.  L.  H.  Salyer. 

Artillery. 

Maj.  J.  W.   Latimer.t 
Capt.   C.   I.   Raine. 

ist   Maryland  Battery  Capt.  William  F.  Dement. 

Alleghany  (Virginia)  Artillery   Capt.  J.  C.  Carpenter. 

Chesapeake  (Maryland)  Artillery Capt.  William  D.  Brown. 

Lee  (Virginia)  Battery Capt.  C.  I.  Raine. 

Lieut.  Wm.  W.  Hardwicke. 

RODES*    DIVISION. 

Maj.  Gen.  R.  E.  Rodes. 

Daniel's  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.  Junius   Daniel. 

32d    North  Carolina Col.  E.  C.  Brabble. 

43d    North  Carolina Col.  T.  S.  Kenan. 

Lieut.  Col.  W.  G.  Lewis. 
4=;th  North  Carolina Lieut.  Col.  S.  H.  Boyd. 

Maj.  John  R.  Winston. 

Capt.  A.  H.  Gallaway. 

Capt.  J.  A.  Hopkins. 

«nd    North  Carolina Col.  W.  A.  Owens. 

2d    North  Carolina  Battalion Lieut.  Col.  H.  L.  Andrews. 

Capt.  Van  Brown. 

Doles'  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.   George   Doles. 

4th  Georgia Lieut   Col   D   RE.  Winn. 

Maj.  W.  H.  Willis. 

I2th  Georgia Col.    Edward   Willis. 

2ist  Georgia Co.  John  T.  Mercer. 

44th  Georgia Col    S    P.  Lumpkin. 

Maj.  W.  H.  Peebles. 

*  Wounded.  t  Killed. 


170  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Iverson's  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.   Alfred  Iverson. 

5th  North  Carolina  Capt.  Speight  B.  West. 

Capt.  Benjamin  Robinson. 

i2th  North  Carolina  Lieut.  Col.  W.  S.  Davis. 

20th  North  Carolina  Lieut.  Col.  Nelson  Slough. 

Capt.  Lewis  T.  Hicks. 
23d    North  Carolina Col.  D.  H.  Christie. 

Capt.  William  H.  Johnston. 


Ramseur's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  S.  D.  Ramseur. 

2d    North  Carolina Maj.  D.  W.  Hurtt. 

Capt.  James  T.  Scales. 

4th  North  Carolina Col.  Bryan  Grimes. 

I4th  North  Carolina Col.  R.  Tyler  Bennett. 

Maj.  Joseph  H.  Lambeth. 

3Oth  North  Carolina Col.  Francis  M.  Parker. 

Maj.  W.  W.  Sillers. 


O'Neal's  Brigade. 
Col.  E.  A.  O'Neal. 

3d    Alabama Col.  C.  A.  Battle. 

5th  Alabama Col.  J.  M.  Hall. 

6th  Alabama Col.  J.  N.  Lightfoot. 

Capt.  M.  L.  Bowie. 

I2th  Alabama Col.  S.  B.  Pickens. 

26th  Alabama Lieut.  Col.  John  C.  Goodgame. 


ARTILLERY    RESERVE. 
Col.  J.  Thompson  Brown. 

1st  Virginia  Battalion. 
Capt.  Willis  J    Dance. 

2d   Richmond  (Virginia)  Howitzers Capt.  David  Watson. 

3d   Richmond  (Virginia)  Howitzers Capt.  B.  H.  Smith,  Jr. 

Powhatan  (Virginia)  Artillery   Lieut.  John  M.  Cunningham. 

Rockbridge  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  A.  Graham. 

Salem  (Virginia)  Artillery Lieut.  C.  B.  Griffin. 


Nelson's  Battalion. 

Lieut.   Col.   William   Nelson. 

Amherst  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  T.  J.  Kirkpatrick. 

Fluvanna  (Virginia)   Artillery   Capt.  J.  L.  Massie. 

Georgia  Battery Capt.  John  Milledge,  Jr. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

THIRD  ARMY  CORPS. 
Lieut.  Gen.  Ambrose  P.  HilL 

ANDERSON'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.   Gen.   R.   H.   Anderson. 

Wilcox's  Brigade. 
Brig.  den.  Cadmus  M.  Wilcox. 

8th  Alabama Lieut.  Col.  Hilary  A.  Herbert 

9th  Alabama Capt.  J.  H.  King. 

loth  Alabama Col.  William  H.  Forney. 

Lieut.  Col.  James  E.  Shelley. 

nth  Alabama Col.  J.  C.  C.  Sanders. 

Lieut.  Col.  George  E.  Tayloe. 

I4th  Alabama Col.  L.  Pinckard. 

Lieut.  CoL  James  A.  Broome. 

Mahone's  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.  William  Mahone. 

6th  Virginia Col.  George  T.  Rogers. 

I2th  Virginia Col.  D.  A.  Weisiger. 

i6th  Virginia Col.  Joseph  H.  Ham. 

4ist  Virginia Col.  William  A.  Parham. 

6ist  Virginia Col.  V.  D.  Groner. 

Wright's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  A.  R.  Wright. 
Col.  William  Gibson. 
Brig.  Gen.  A.  R.  Wright 

3d    Georgia Col.  E.  J.  Walker. 

22d    Georgia Col.  Joseph  Wasden. 

Capt.  B.  C.  McCurry. 

48th  Georgia  .  Col.  Wm.  Gibson. 

Capt.  M.  R.  Hall. 
Col.  Wm.  Gibson. 

2d  Georgia  Battalion Maj.  George  W.  Ross. 

I    Capt.  Charles  J.  Moffett 

Perry's  Brigade. 
Col.  David  Lang. 

2d    Florida Maj.  W.  R.  Moore. 

5th  Florida Capt.  R.  N.  Gardner. 

8th  Florida Col.  David  Lang. 

Posey's  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.   Carnot  Posey. 

I2th  Mississippi Col.  W.  H.  Taylor. 

i6th  Mississippi Col.  Samuel  E.  Baker. 

ipth  Mississippi Col.  N.  H.  Harris. 

48th  Mississippi Col.  Joseph  M.  Jayne. 

Artillery  (Sumter  Battalion). 
Maj.  John  Lane. 

Company  A Capt.  Hugh  M.  Ross. 

Company  B  Capt.  George  M.  Patterson. 

Company  C Capt.  John  T.  Wmgfield. 


1^2  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

HETH'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.   Gen.   Henry   Heth.* 
Brig.    Gen.    J.    J.    Pettigrew. 

First  Brigade. 

Brig.    Gen.    J.    J.    Pettigrew. 
Col.  J.  K.  Marshall. 

nth  North  Carolina Col.  Collett  Levent'iorpe. 

26th  North  Carolina Col.  Henry  K.  Burgwyn,  Jr. 

Capt.  H.  C.  Albright. 

47th  North  Carolina Col.  G.  H.  Faribanlt. 

S2d    North  Carolina Col.  J.  K.  Marshall. 

Lieut.  Col.  Marcus  A.  Parks. 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.    J.    M.    Brockenbrough. 

40th  Virginia  ..  > Capt.  T.  E.  Betts. 

Capt.  R.  B.  Davis. 

47th  Virginia Col.  Robert  M.  Mayo. 

55th  Virginia   Col.  W.  S.  Christian. 

22d    Virginia  Battalion Maj.  John  S.  Bowles. 

Third  Brigade. 

Brig.  Gen.  James  J.  Archer.t 
Col.  B.  D.  Fry. 
Lieut.  Col.  S.  G.  Shepard. 

I3th  Alabama Col.  B.  D.  Fry. 

5th  Alabama  Battalion  Maj.  A.  S.  Van  de  Graaff. 

1st  Tennessee  (Provisional  Army)   Maj.  Felix  G.  Buchanan. 

7th  Tennessee Lieut.  Col.  S.  G.  Shepard. 

I4th  Tennessee Capt.  B.  L.  Phillips. 

Fourth  Brigade. 
Brig.   Gen.  Joseph  R.  Davis. 

2d    Mississippi Col.  J.  M.  Stone. 

I  ith  Mississippi Col.  F.  M.  Green. 

42d    Mississippi Col.  H.  R.  Miller. 

55th  North  Carolina  Col.  J.  K.  Connally. 

Artillery. 
Lieut.  Col.  John  J.  Garnett. 

Donaldsonville  (Louisiana)  Artillery  Capt.  V.  Maurin. 

Huger  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  Joseph  D.  Moore. 

Lewis  (Virginia)  Artillery  Capt.  John  W.  Lewis. 

Norfolk  Light  Artillery  Blues  Capt.  C.  R.  Grandy. 

FENDER'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  William  D.  Pender.t 
Brig.  Gen.  James  H.  Lane. 
Maj.  Gen.  I.  R.  Trimble.* 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Abner  Perrin. 

ist  South  Carolina  (Provisional  Army) Maj.  C.  W.  McCreary. 

1st  South  Carolina  Rifles  Capt.  William  M.  Hadden. 

I2th  South  Carolina  Col.  John  L.  Miller. 

I3th  South  Carolina  Lieut.  Col.  B.  T.  Brockman. 

I4th  South  Carolina Lieut.  Col.  Joseph  N.  Brown. 

•  Wounded.  t  Captured.  J  Mortally  wounded. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  James  H.  Lane. 
Col.  C.  M.  Avery. 

7th  North  Carolina  Capt.  J.  McLeod  Turner. 

Capt.  James  G.  Harris. 

iSth  North  Carolina  Col.  John  D.  Barry. 

28th  North  Carolina  Col.  S.  D.  Lowe 

Lieut.  Col.  W.  H.  A.  Speer. 

33d    North  Carolina Col.  C.  M.  Avery. 

37th  North  Carolina  Col.  W.  M.  Barbour. 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Edward  L.  Thomas. 

I4th  Georgia 

35th  Georgia '.'.'.'.'.".'.. 

45th  Georgia 

49th  Georgia Col.  S.  T.  Player 


Fourth  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  A.  M.  Scales.* 
Lieut.   Col.    G.   T.    Gordon. 

Col.  W.  L.   Lowrance. 
I3th  North  Carolina  Col.  J.  H.  Hyman. 

Lieut.  Col.  H.  A.  Rogers. 

i6th  North  Carolina  Capt.  L.  W.  Stone. 

22d    North  Carolina Col.  James  Conner. 

34th  North  Carolina  Col.  William  Lee  Lowrance. 

Lieut.  Col.  G.  T.  Gordon. 
38th  North  Carolina  Col.  W.  J.  Hoke. 

Lieut.  Col.  John  Ashford. 

Artillery. 
Maj.  William  T.  Poague. 

Albemarle  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  James  W.  Wyatt. 

Charlotte  (North  Carolina)  Artillery Capt.  Joseph  Graham. 

Madison  (Mississippi)  Light  Artillery Capt.  George  Ward. 

Virginia  Battery Capt.  J.  V.  Brooke. 

ARTILLERY    RESERVE. 

Col.  R.  Lindsay  Walker. 

Mclntosh's  Battalion. 
Maj.  D.  G.  Mclntosh. 

Dansville  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  R.  S.  Rice. 

Hardaway  (Alabama)  Artillery Capt.  W.  B.  Hurt. 

2d  Rockbridge  (Virginia)  Artillery   Lieut.   Samuel  Wallace. 

Virginia  Battery  Capt.  M.Johnson. 

Pegram's  Battalion. 
Maj.  W.  J.  Pegram. 
Capt.  E.  B.  Brunson. 

Crenshaw  (Virginia)  Battery. 

Fredericksburg  (Virginia)  Artillery Capt.  E.  A.  Marye. 

Letcher  (Virginia)  Artillery   Capt.  T.  A.  Brander. 

Pee  Dee  (South  Carolina)  Artillery Lieut.  William  E.  Zimmerman. 

Purcell  (Virginia)  Artillery  Capt.  Joseph  McGraw. 

*  Wounded. 


174  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

CAVALRY. 

STUART'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart. 

Hampton's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Wade  Hampton.* 
Col.  L.  S.  Baker. 

ist  North  Carolina Col.  L.  S.  Baker. 

i  st  South  Carolina 

2d   South  Carolina 

Cobb's  (Georgia)  Legion 

Jeff.  Davis  Legion 

Phillips  (Georgia)  Legion  


Robertson's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Beverly  H.  Robertson. 

4th  North  Carolina Col.  D.  D.  Ferebee. 

5th  North  Carolina 


Fits.  Lee's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Fitz.  Lee. 

ist  Maryland  Battaliont Maj.  Harry  Gilmor. 

Maj.  Ridgely  Brown. 

ist  Virginia    Col.  James  H.  Drake. 

2d    Virginia  Col.  T.  T.  Munford. 

3d    Virginia  Col.  Thomas  H.  Owen. 

4th  Virginia   Col.  William  C.  Wickham. 

5th  Virginia  Col.  T.  L.  Rosser. 

Jenkins'  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  A.  G.  Jenkins.* 
Col.   M.  J.   Ferguson. 

I4th  Virginia 

loth  Virginia 

I7th  Virginia 

34th  Virginia  Battalion   Lieut.  Col.  V.  A.  Witcher. 

36th  Virginia  Battalion 

Jackson's  (Virginia)  Battery Capt.  Thomas  E.  Jackson. 


Jones's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  E.  Jones. 

6th  Virginia! Maj.  C.  E.  Flournoy. 

7th  Virginiat Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  Marshall. 

nth  Virginia Col.  L.  L.  Lomax. 

W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Brigade. 
Col.   J.    R.    Chambliss,   Jr. 

2d    North  Carolina.  •... : . . . 

9th  Virginia Col.  R.  L.  T.  Beale. 

loth  Virginia Col.  J.  Lucius  Davis. 

I3th  Virginia.... 

*  Wounded.  i  Served   with  Swell's  Corps.  J  Engaged  at  Fairfleld,  July  3d. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  175 

Stttart  Horse  Artillery. 
Maj.  R.  F.  Beckham. 

Breathed's  (Virginia)  Battery Capt.  James  Breathed. 

Chew's  (Virginia)  Battery Capt.  R.  P.  Chew. 

Griffin's  (Maryland)  Battery Gapt.  W.  H.  Griffin. 

Hart's  (South  Carolina)  Battery Capt.  J.  F.  Hart. 

McGregor's  (Virginia)  Battery Capt.  W.  M.  McGregor. 

Moorman's  (Virginia)  Battery Capt.  M.  N.  Moorman. 

IMBODEN'S  COMMAND.* 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  D.  Imboden. 

i8th  Virginia  Cavalry Col.  George  W.  Imboden. 

62d  Virginia  Infantry! Col.  George  H.  Smith. 

Virginia  Partisan  Rangers Capt.  John  H.  McNeill. 

Virginia  Battery Capt.  J.  H.  McClanahan. 

ARTILLERY.* 
Brig.  Gen.  W.  N.  Pendleton. 


*  Arrived  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg  at  noon  of  the  third  day's  battle . 

%  See  the  battalions  attached  to  the  army  corps  and  Stuart's  Division  of  cavalry. 


•(•Mounted. 


176 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA, 
COMMANDED  BY  GEN.  ROBERT  E.  LEE,  C.  S.  ARMY,  AT  THE 
BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG,  PA.,  JULY  1-3,  1863. 

NOTE. — Where  the  sum  of  the  regimental  losses  does  not  tally  with  the  brigade  "  totals," 
the  discrepancy  is  due  to  disagreements  between  the  detailed  statement  furnished  by  Sur 
geon  L.  Guild,  Medical  Director  of  the  Army,  and  the  numbers  reported  by  brigade  and 
other  superior  commanders.  Owing  to  the  absence  of  subordinate  reports,  such  disagree 
ments  can  not  be  explained.  In  computing  the  "grand  total"  the  figures  supplied  by 
brigade,  division  and  corps  commanders  have  generally  been  adopted;  but  whether  taken  in  de 
tail  or  as  a  whole,  the  compilation  can  only  be  regarded  as  approximate.  Several  of  the  reports 
indicate  that  many  of  the  "missing"  were  killed  or  wounded;  especially  is  this  the  case  with  Pic- 
kett's  Division  of  Longstreet's  Corps.  The  mortally  wounded  are  included  with  the  wounded. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded* 

Captured 
or 

Aggre- 

missing. 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS. 

Lieut.  Gen.  James  Longstreet. 

MCLAWS*    DIVISION. 

Maj.  Gen.  Lafayette  McLaws. 

Kershaw  s  Brigade. 

Brig.  Gen.  Joseph  B.  Kershaw. 

27 

125 

2 

IE 

18 

63 

2 

8 

18 

85 

7 

ii 

21 

7Q 

IO 

21 

Q8 

18 

IT 

3d    South  Carolina  Battalion  

IO 

•23 

•3 

A 

Total     

115 

483 

32 

63< 

Semmes'  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Paul  J.  Semmes. 
Col.  Goode  Bryan. 


9 

10 

8 
15 

77 
68 
47 
72 

86 

78 
55 
87 

Total 

55 

284 

9i 

430 

Barksdale  s  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  Barksdale. 
Col.  Benjamin  G.  Humphreys. 
Staff                                    

i 
28 
40 
18 
16 

I 
165 
200 

100 

103 

137 
1  60 

82 
87 

I7th  Mississippi 
i8th  Mississippi. 

2ist  Mississippi   . 

Total 

105 

550 

92 

747 

Wofford's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  W.  T.  Wofford. 

9 
3 
4 

2 

4 

52 
16 
32 
20 
24 

61 
19 
36 

22 

28 

i8th  Georgia.  .  .  . 

Cobb's  Georgia  L 
Phillips'  Georgia 

Total  

Legion     

30 

192 

112 

334 

*  Includes  the  mortally  wounded . 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  177 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA — Continued. 


COMMAND. 


Killed. 


Wounded 


Captured 

or 
missing. 


Aggre 
gate. 


Artillery  Battalion. 
Col.  Henry  C.  Cabell. 

Carlton's  Georgia  Battery  (Troop  Artillery)... 
Fraser's  Georgia  Battery  (Pulaski  Artillery)  .. 
McCarthy's  Battery  (ist  Richmond  Howitzers) 
Manly's  North  Carolina  Battery  


Total 

Total  McLaws'  Division, 


Staff  .. 
8th  Virginia 
i8th  Virginia 
igth  Virginia 
28th  Virginia 
56th  Virginia 


PICKETT'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  George  E.  Pickett. 

Garnett's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Richard  B.  Garnett. 


Total. 


29 


313 


1,538 


i 
6 
10 
10 
19 

22 


77 
34 
58 
40 


324 


327 


539 


7 

18 

5 
7 


37 


2,178 


i 

54 
87 
44 
77 
62 


941 


Armistead's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Lewis  A.  Armistead. 
Col.  W.  R.  Aylett. 

Staff   i     I 

gth  Virginia 71  71 

14th  Virginia 17  91  108 

38th  Virginia 23  147  170 

53d    Virginia I?  87  104 

57th  Virginia 26  95  121 

Total 88  460  643  1,191 

temper's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  James  L.  Kemper. 
Col.  Joseph  Mayo,  Jr. 

Staff i  3    4 

ist  Virginia 2  62    64 

3d    Virginia " 16  51     67 

7th  Virginia 15  79      94 

nth  Virginia 12  97    109 

24th  Virginia 17  in     128 

Total 58  356  317  731 

Artillery  Battalion. 
Maj.  James  Dearing. 

Blount's  Virginia  Battery . 

Caskie's  Virginia  Battery  (Hampden  Artillery)  . 
Macon's  Battery  (Richmond  Fayette  Artillery)  .. 
Stribling's  Virginia  Battery  (Fauquier  Artillery). 

Total* 8  17     ..  25 

Total  Pickett's  Division 232         1,157         J,499  2,888 


*  Not  reported  in  detail. 


12 


178  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or 
missing. 

Aggre 
gate. 

HOOD'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  John  B.  Hood. 

I 

I 

4th  Alabama 

Law's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  E.  M.  Law. 
Col.  James  L.  Sheffield. 

17 

4Q 

*66 

I5th  Alabama 

17 

66 

*8i 

44th  Alabama 

24 

64 

*88 

47th  Alabama 

IO 

^o 

AO 

48th  Alabama 

8 

67 

*7c 

Total 

74 

276 

146 

B 
C 
Staff     ...    . 

Anderson's  Brigade. 
rig.  Gen.   George  T.  Anderson, 
ol.  W.  W.  White. 

I 

7th  Georgia. 

TC 

•e 

8th  Georgia. 

2e 

IIA 

oth  Georgia. 

28 

II* 

*lll 

iith  Georgia. 

12 

l62 

*I04 

5gth  Georgia. 

18 

Q2 

*I  IO 

Total.  .  .  . 

IO* 

*I2 

671 

3d    Arkansas 

Robertson's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  B.  Robertson. 

26 

116 

24 

+78 

Ii 

71 

87 

86 

Total   .  .  . 

84 

1Q1 

1  2O 

zd    Georgia 

Benning's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Henry  L.  Benning. 

66 

I5th  Georgia. 

8 

64 



J9 

i*jn 

I7th  Georgia. 

1C 

7C 

2Oth  Georgia. 

21 

Total     .. 

76 

Artillery  Battalion. 
Maj.  M.  W.  Henry. 
Bachman's  South  Carolina  Battery  (German  Artillery).... 

Garden's  South  Carolina  Battery  (Palmetto  Light  Art.)... 

Latham's  North  Carolina  Battery  (Branch  Artillery)  

Reilly's  North  Carolina  Battery  (Rowan  Artillery)  

Total     

A 

21 

27 

•I  AT. 

I   c,OA 

AA2 

2  280 

*  According  to  regimental  reports  the  total  loss  was  :  4th  Alabama,  87 ;  I5th  Alabama,  161  ;  44th  Alabama,  94 ; 
48th  Alabama,  102;  gth  Georgia,  189;  nth  Georgia,  204;  59th  Georgia,  116. 

t  According  to  regimental  reports  the  total  loss  was:  ist  Texas,  93;  i5th  Georgia,  171  ;  soth  Georgia,  121. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  179 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA — Continued. 


COMMAND. 


Killed. 


Wounded. 


Captured 

or 
missing. 


Aggre 
gate. 


RESERVE   ARTILLERY. 

Col.  J.  B.  Walton.* 

Alexander's  Battalion. 

Col.  E.  Porter  Alexander. 

Jordan's  Virginia  Battery  (Bedford  Artillery) 

Moody's  Louisiana  Battery  (Madison  Light  Artillery).. 

Parker's  Virginia  Battery 

Rhett's  South  Carolina  Battery  (Brooks  Artillery) 

Taylor's  Virginia  Battery . 

Woolfolk's  Virginia  Battery  (Ashland  Artillery) 

Totalf 19  114  6  139 

Washington  (Louisiana)  Artillery, 
Maj.  B.  F.  Eshleman. 

1st  Company  (Squires') 

2d    Company  (Richardson's) 

3d    Company  (Miller's) 

4th  Company  (Norcom's) 

Totalf 3  23  16  42 

Total  Reserve  Artillery 22  137!  22  181 

Total  First  Army  Corps 910        4,336        2,290          7,53° 

SECOND  ARMY  CORPS. 
Lieut.   Gen.  Richard  S.  Ewell. 
Staff I      i 

EARLY'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  Jubal  A.  Early. 

Hays'  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Harry  T.  Hays. 

5th  Louisiana 5  31  13  49 

6th  Louisiana 5  34  21  60 

7th  Louisiana 43  6  57 

8th  Louisiana  8  54  13  75 

9th  Louisiana 10  39  23  72 

Total 36  201  76  313 

Hoke's  Brigade. 
Col.  Isaac  E.  Avery. 
Col.  Archibald  C.  Godwin. 

6th  North  Carolina 20  131  21  172 

2ist    North  Carolina 9  65  37  in 

57th  North  Carolina 6  20  36  62 

Total 35  216  94  345 

Smith's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  Smith. 

3ist  Virginia 20  7  27 

4gth  Virginia 12  78  10  100 

52d    Virginia 15     15 

Total   12  113  17  142 


*  Chief  of  corps  artillery. 


t  N  ot  reported  in  detail. 


So  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 


Killed. 


Wounded. 


Captured 

or 
missing. 


Aggre 
gate. 


I3th  Georgia 
a6th  Georgia 
3ist  Georgia 
38th  Georgia 
6oth  Georgia 
6ist  Georgia 


Gordon' ' s  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  John  B.  Gordon. 


20 

2 

9 

12 

4 

24 


83 
4 
34 
5i 
29 
69 


29 

5 


103 
ir 

43 
92 
33 
93 


Total 71  I  270             39             380 

Artillery  Battalion. 

Lieut.   Col.  H.  P.  Jones. 

Carrington's  Virginia  Battery  (Charlottesville  Artillery). 

Garber's  Virginia  Battery  (Staunton  Artillery) i     i 

Green's  Battery  (Louisiana  Guard  Artillery) 2                5     7 

Tanner's  Virginia  Battery  (Courtney  Artillery) 

Total    .  -    2  6 

Total  Early's  Division 156  806            226           1,188 

JOHNSON'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.   Gen.  Edward  Johnson. 

Staff I  112 

Steuart's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  H.  Steuart. 

1st  Maryland  Battalion , 25            119    144 

1st  North  Carolina 4              48     52 

3d    North  Carolina 29            127     156 

loth  Virginia 4              17      21 

23d    Virginia 4              14    18 

37th  Virginia 10              44    54 

Total 83  409            190             682 

Nicholti  Brigade. 
Col.  J.  M.  Williams. 

1st  Louisiana 9              30    39 

2d    Louisiana 10              52      62 

loth  Louisiana 14              77      91 

I4th  Louisiana 9              56     65 

I5th  Louisiana 2              36    38 

Total 43  309              36              388 

Stonewall  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  James  A.  Walker. 

2d    Virginia I               13      14 

4th  Virginia -8              78     86 

5th  Virginia 5              46    51 

27th  Virginia 7              34      ...              41 

33d    Virginia "              37     48 

Total 35  208             87             330 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  i8r 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or 
missing. 

Aggre 
gate. 

Jones'  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  John  M.  Jones. 
Lieut.  Col.  R.  H.  Dungan. 
Staff  

2 

6 

20. 

*oe 

•j 

VI 

*40 

42d    Virginia  

8 

48 

(6 

a 

14 

*I7 

ie 

41 

*£•« 

la 

47 

*6o 

Total  

58 

1O2 

61 

A2I 

Artillery  Battalion. 
Maj.  J.  W.  Latimer. 
Capt.  C.  I.  Raine. 
Staff  

I 

Brown's  Maryland  Battery  (Chesapeake    Artillery)  

A 

12 

16 

Carpenter's  Virginia  Battery  (Alleghany  Artillery)  

c 

IO 

24 

Deinent's  First  Maryland  Battery  

I 

4. 

Total  

IO 

4O 

Total  Johnson's  Division  

22Q 

I  260 

T7C 

I   871 

RODES*   DIVISION. 

Maj.  Gen.  Robert  E.  Rodes. 

Daniel's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Junius  Daniel. 

26 

116 

21 

126 

45th  North  Carolina  

46 

171 

53d    North  Carolina   

la 

104 

'!19 

2Q 

124 

Total  

16? 

6^5 

116 

Iverson's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Alfred  Iverson. 

•3J 

112 

IO 

46 

eft 

2Q 

O9 

23d    North  Carolina  ...    

41 

m 

Total  

I1O 

^82 

308 

82O 

Doles'  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  George  Doles. 

2o 

7 

I2th  Georgia  

A 

•3C 

IO 

I 

II 

c 

17 

IO 

49 

n 

68 

Total  

24 

124 

31 

170 

*  According  to  regimental  reports  the  total  loss  was:    2ist  Virginia,  50;   25th  Virginia,  70 ;   44th  Virginia,  56  ; 
48th  Virginia,  76;  soth  Virginia,  99. 


182  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA — Continued. 


COMMAND. 


Killed. 


Wounded. 


Captured 


missing. 


Aggre 
gate. 


Ramseur's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  S.  D.  Ramseur. 

•ed    North  Carolina 

4th  North  Carolina 

I4th  North  Carolina 

3Oth  North  Carolina 


27 
24 
37 

34 


I 
24 

2 

5 


32 
56 
44 
45 


Total 


177 


O'Neafs  Brigade. 
Col.  Edward  A.  O'Neal. 


3d  Alabama 

5th  Alabama 

6th  Alabama 

I2th  Alabama 

26th  Alabama 


12 
2f 

18 

13 

5 


79 
log 

"3 

65 


*78 
*46 


Total 73  430  IQ3  696 

Artillery  Battalion. 
Lieut.  Col.  Thomas  H.  Carter. 
Carter's  Virginia  Battery  (King  William  Artillery). 

Fry's  Virginia  Battery  (Orange  Artillery) 

Page's  Virginia  Battery  (Morris  Artillery      

Reese's  Alabama  Battery  (Jeff.  Davis  Artillery) 

Totalf 6  35  24  65 

Total  Rodes' Division 421         1,728  704          2,853 

RESERVE  ARTILLERY. 
Col.  J.  Thompson  Brown. \ 

Brown's  Battalion. 
Capt.  Willis  J.  Dance. 
Dance's  Virginia  Battery  (Powhatan  Artillery). . . . 

Hupp's  Virginia  Battery  (Salem  Artillery) 

Graham's  Virginia  Battery  (Rockbridge  Artillery). 

Smith's  Battery  (3d  Richmond  Howitzers) 

Watson's  Battery  (zd  Richmond  Howitzers) 

Totalf 3  19    22 

Nelson's   Battalion. 
Lieut.  Col.  William  Nelson. 
Kirkpatrick's  Virginia  Battery  (Amherst  Artillery). 

Massie's  Virginia  Battery  (Fluvanna  Artillery) 

Milledge's  Georgia  Battery 

Totalg 

Total  Reserve  Artillery 3  19 22 

Total  Second  Army  Corps 809         3,823         1,305  5,937 


*  According  to  regimental  reports  the  total  loss  was :  sth  Alabama,  209  ;  i2th  Alabama,  83  ;  z6th  Alabama,  130. 
t  Not  reported  in  detail.  £  Chief  of  corps  artillery.  §  Loss,  if  any,  not  reported. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  183 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or 
missing. 

Aggre 
gate. 

THIRD  ARMY  CORPS. 

Lieut.  Gen.  Ambrose  P.  Hill. 

ANDERSON'S  DIVISION. 

Maj.  Gen.  Richard  H.  Anderson. 

Wilcox's  Brigade. 

Brig.  Gen.  Cadmus  M.  Wilcox. 

22 

I  an 

161 

a 

EC 

la 

QI 

IOJ. 

6 

6q 

41 

48 

Total  

51 

460 

2^7 

777 

Mahone  s   Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  Mahone. 


a 

a, 

2 

12 

14 

2 

I 

II 

12 

2 

IO 

12 

Total  

8 

cs 

an 

IO2 

Wright's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  A.  R.  Wright. 
Col.  William  Gibson. 

IOO 

IOO 

21 

7C 

Q6 

16 

74 

GO 

2d    Georgia  Battalion  

0, 

46 

' 

Total  

40 

2QS 

aaa 

668 

Perry's   Brigade. 
Col.   David  Lang. 
2d    Florida  

II 

7O 

81 

5th  Florida  

12 

8th  Florida  

IO 

84 

OJ. 

Total   

•j-i 

217 

20  <; 

4CC 

Posey's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Carnot  Posey. 
I2th  Mississippi  

7 

7 

i6th  Mississippi  

2 

17 

in 

4. 

48th  Mississippi  

6 

2<1 

O.O 

* 

Total  

12 

71 

g 

Artillery  (Sumter  Battalion). 
Maj.  John  Lane. 

I 

7 

g 

2 

c 

7 

Company  C  (Wingfield's)  

Total   

a 

21 

6 

Total  Anderson's  Division.  . 

147 

I.I28 

840 

2.  IIS 

$4  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or 
missing. 

Aggre 
gate. 

HETH'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  Henry  Ileth. 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  Johnston  Pettigrew. 
Staff                    

I 

I 

First  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  J.  Johnston  Pettigrew. 
Col.  James  K.  Marshall. 

CO 

ICQ 

209 

26th  North  Carolina   

86 

588 

21 

1  4O 

161 

114 

147 

Total  

IQO 

QIC 

I  IO5 

Second  Brigade. 
Col.  J.  M.  Brockenbrough. 

4 

38 

42 

4?th  Virginia       .    .  .        

10 

38 

48 

8 

26 

•i 

21 

24 

Total  

25 

123 

148 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  James  J.  Archer. 
Col.  B.  D.  Fry. 

6 

36 

42 

26 

26 

ist  Tennessee  (Provisional  Army)  

2 

4O 

42 

^th  Tennessee         

E 

18 

3 

24 

27 

Total  

16 

144 

677 

Fourth  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Joseph  R.  Davis. 

40 

183 

2^2 

32 

I  7O 

2  O2 

60 

2OC, 

26? 

30 

ICQ 

198 

Total      

1  80 

717 

807 

Artillery  Battalion. 
Lieut.   Col.  John  J.  Garnett. 
Grandy's  Virginia  Battery  (Norfolk  Light  Artillery  Blues) 

Maurin's  Louisiana  Battery  (Donaldsonville  Artillery).  .  .  . 

, 

Total*  

c 

17 

22 

Total  Heth's  Division.. 

411 

LOCK 

S.W. 

2.8t;o 

Not  reported  in  detail. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  18=5 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 

or 

Aggre- 

missing. 

FENDER'S  DIVISION. 

Maj. 

Gen.  William  D.  Fender. 

Brig. 

Gen.  James  H.  Lane. 

Maj. 

Gen.  Isaac  R.  Trimble. 

Staff  

I 

A 

c 

First  Brigade. 
Col.  Abner  Perrin. 

20 

7< 

nc 

1st  South  Carolina  Rifles  .  .  . 

2 

I2th  South  Carolina   

2O 

112 

•21 

27 

182 

Total  

TOO 

477 

C77 

Second  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  James  H.  Lane. 
Col.  C.  M.  Avery. 

e 

84. 

80 

A 

4.1 

AH 

12 

Q2 

IO 

C-J 

60 

IO 

78 

88 

Total*    

41 

"U8 

080 

Third  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Edward  L.  Thomas. 

e 

27 

12 

6 

42 

48 

•3C 

•3C 

c 

12 

17 

Total  

16 

1  16 

TC2 

Fourth  Brigade 
Brig.  Gen.  Alfred  M.  Scales. 
Lieut.  Col.  G.  T.   Gordon. 
Col.  W.  L.  Lowrance. 
Staff  

I 

J 

20 

Q7 

16 

en 

66 

20 

60 

80 

34th  North  Carolina  

16 

48 

6/1 

i8th  North  Carolina.. 

21 

*8 

70 

attery  . 

(Madison  Light  Artillery).  .  .  . 

Jbemarle  Artillery)  

2 

2d 

6 

262 

I   112 

116 

*  General  Lane  reports  his  entire  loss  at  660. 


t  Not  reported  in  detail. 


i86  MEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Continued. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or 
missing. 

Aggre 
gate. 

RESERVE   ARTILLERY. 
Col.   R.  Lindsay  Walker.* 
Mclntosh's  Battalion. 
Maj.   D.  G.  Mclntosh. 

Rice's  Virginia  Battery  (Danville  Artillery)  

Total  f       

7 

25 

32 

Pegram's  Battalion. 
Maj.    W.  J.  Pegram. 
Capt.    E.   B.    Brunson. 
Brander's  Virginia  Battery  (Letcher  Artillery)  

Brunson's  South  Carolina  Battery  (Pee  Dee  Artillery).  .  .  . 

Marye's  Virginia  Battery  (Fredericksburg  Artillery)  

Totalf         

IO 
17 

37 

I 

48 

62 

I 

80 

Total  Third  Army  Corps  

837 

4,407 

I.491 

6,735 

CAVALRY. 
STUART'S  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart. 
Hampton's  Brigade. 
Brig.    Gen.   Wade  Hampton. 
Col.  Lawrence  S.  Baker. 
Staff             .                               

i 
17 
9 
6 
6 

10 

9 

i 
23 
14 

7 

21 

15 
IO 

2 

I 
I 

8 

4 

i 

4 
4 

7 
i 

Total  

17 

58 

16 

91 

Fitz.  Lee's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  Fitzhugh  Lee. 

4 
I 

8 
3 
5 

10 

i 

i 
17 

22 

5 
6 

17 

Total                       

5 

16 

29 

50 

W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Brigade. 
Col.  John  R.  Chambliss,  Jr. 

• 

6 

9 
it 

6 

2 

5 

12 
12 

17 

i 
i 

Total       

2 

26 

13 

41 

*  Chief  of  Corps  Artillery. 


tNot  reported  in  detail. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  187 

RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  —  Concluded. 


COMMAND. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Captured 
or 
missing. 

Aggre 
gate. 

6th  Virginia 
7th  Virginia 
nth  Virginia* 

Total.  .  .  . 

Jones's  Brigade. 
Brig.  Gen.  William  E.  Jones. 

4 

8 

19 
21 

5 
i 

28 
30 

12 

40 

6 

58 

I4th  Virginia 
i6th  Virginia 
I7th  Virginia 
34th  Virginia 
35th  Virginia 

Total*  .. 

Jenkins1  Brigade. 
Col.  M.  J.  Ferguson. 

Stuart  Horse  Artillery. 

Total*     

36 

I4O 

64 

240 

RECAPITULATION. 

QIO 

4  1^6 

2.2QO 

7,536 

8oq 

a  82^ 

I,ao^ 

"5,037 

837 

4,4O7 

I.4QI 

6,735 

Stuart's  Cavalry  Division  

36 

I4O 

64 

240 

2  ^Q2 

12  706 

•ft  ICQ 

20,448 

*  Loss,  if  any,  not  of  record. 

t  The  records  of  prisoners  of  war  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  Adjutant-General  U.  S.  Army  bear  the  names 
of  12,2^7  wounded  and  unwounded  Confederates  captured  by  the  Union  forces  at  and  about  Gettysburg  from 
July  1st  to  July  5th,  inclusive.  Of  this  number  0,802  were  wounded  men  who  were  left  behind  at  Gettys 
burg,  and  5,425  were  unwounded  prisoners  captured  during  the  battle,  and  at  Monterey  during  the  retreat. 


1 88 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


PARTIAL  RETURN  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  CONFEDERATE 
FORCES  DURING  THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN,  JUNE  3- 
AUGUST  1,  1863. 


LOCATION. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Missing. 

Total. 

*  Fleetwood  (Beverly  Ford)   Va.,  June  9  

6q 

"3O2 

I12 

C21 

Winchester   Va.    June  13—15   

4.7 

2IQ 

3 

269 

*  Middleburg  and  Upperville,  Va.,  June  10-24.  •  • 
*  Hanover,  Pa.,  June  30  

65 

Q 

279 
eo 

166 
•58 

510 
1  17 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  1—3  

2,^Q2 

12,709 

e   ICQ 

2O  4?I 

*  Hagerstown  and  Williamsport,  Md.,  July  6.  ... 
*  Funkstown  and  Boonsborough,  Md.,  July  7-8.  . 
•j-Funkstown    Md.,  July  10  

8 
26 

21 

65 
130 
IOI 

181 
60 

254 

216 
126 

$  Manassas  Gap  (Wapping  Heights),  Va.,  July  23. 
*Potomac  to  Rappahannock,  July  14—  Aug.  i  

19 

16 

83 
73 

66 

21 

1  68 
no 

Total  .,  

2,851 

13,910 

5,857 

22  6l8 

*  Cavalry  engagements. 

•{•Anderson's  Brigade,  Hood's  Division. 

|  Includes  casualties  in  Wright's  Georgia  Brigade  only.  Gen.  Rodes  reports  an  additional 
loss,  in  his  division,  of  15,  ''killed,  wounded  and  missing." 

Mem.  The  item  for  Hanover,  Pa.,  June  30,  includes,  also,  the  casualties  in  Stuart's  Cavalry 
while  on  the  raid  from  Rector's  Cross-Roads,  Va.,  to  Carlisle,  Pa. 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  MONUMENTS 


ERECTED 


IN  HONOR  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  REGIMENTS 
AT  GETTYSBURG. 


ORATIONS,  ADDRESSES  AND  REGIMENTAL 

HISTORIES. 


EDITED  BY 

WILLIAM  F.  FOX,  LIEUT.  COL.  U.  S.  V. 
189 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 


The  work  of  editing  the  following  pages,  undertaken  at  the  solicitation  of 
the  Board  of  Commissioners,  has  proved  unexpectedly  difficult.  Before  com 
mencing  the  work  it  was  understood  that  the  veteran  association  of  each  regi 
ment  or  battery  would,  through  its  secretary,  forward  an  account  of  the 
dedicatory  exercises  held  at  its  monument,  together  with  the  text  of  the  ora 
tions,  poems,  and  historical  sketches.  But  very  few  complied  with  the  cir 
culars,  repeatedly  issued  by  the  Board,  calling  for  these  articles ;  and  thus  the 
unexpected  work  of  collating  the  material  assumed  proportions  beside  which 
that  of  editing  it  seemed  a  small  matter. 

Some  of  the  regiments  —  the  Forty-second,  Fifty-fourth,  Fifty-ninth, 
Eightieth,  Eighty-fourth,  One  hundred  and  nineteenth,  One  hundred  and 
twenty-first,  One  hundred  and  twenty-sixth,  and  One  hundred  and  fiftieth  in 
fantry,  the  Ninth  and  Tenth  cavalry  —  showed  a  commendable  pride  in  their 
organizations  by  publishing  in  pamphlet  form  a  full  account  of  the  dedicatory 
exercises  held  at  their  respective  monuments,  which  made  the  work  of  com 
piling  and  editing  a  pleasant  occupation.  A  few  regiments  furnished  neatly 
written  copies  of  the  orations  and  historical  sketches,  while  others  forwarded 
old  newspaper  clippings  from  which  more  or  less  available  matter  was  compiled. 

There  still  remained  a  large  number  of  regiments  and  batteries  from  which 
nothing  was  received  in  reply  to  the  circulars  of  the  Board.  Some  of  these 
commands  held  no  formal  exercises  in  dedicating  their  monuments.  From  their 
widely  scattered  survivors  a  few  gray-haired  veterans  who  had  gone  to  Gettys 
burg  on  New  York  Day,  in  1893,  would  gather  at  the  monument;  there  would 
be  the  usual  visiting  and  exchange  of  reminiscences ;  some  comrade  with 
bared  head  would  make  a  little  talk  replete  with  emotion  ;  and  in  some  instances 
these  informal  gatherings  were  of  a  religious  character.  As  they  took  no 
reporters  or  stenographers  with  them,  their  meeting  was  unnoticed  and  unre 
corded.  But  these  same  regiments  and  batteries  wrought  well  at  Gettysburg 
in  1863,  and  the  survivors  were  content  with  the  record  they  made  then,  even 
though  they  had  no  poet  or  orator  to  sound  their  praises  on  dedication  day. 

It  is  the  wish  of  the  Commissioners  that  every  New  York  organization  that 
was  present  at  the  battle  shall  have  due  recognition  in  these  pages,  and  that 
each  regiment  or  battery  that  held  no  formal  exercises  at  the  dedication  of 
their  monument  shall  be  accorded  space  for  some  historical  sketch  of  its  ser 
vices  at  Gettysburg  and  elsewhere.  Each  one  was  requested  to  furnish  a  short 
history ;  but  this  request  was  complied  with  by  only  a  few.  In  order  that  these 
organizations  should  not  be  omitted  in  the  report,  the  task  devolved  on  the 
editor  of  supplying  tHe  numerous  deficiencies,  and  writing  the  historical 
sketches  for  thirty-three  regiments  and  batteries.  In  some  instances,  the  regi 
ments  having  furnished  no  material,  the  editor  availed  himself  of  the  regimental 
histories  which  had  been  published,  and,  by  selecting  paragraphs  here  and 
there,  made  a  connected  narrative  of  suitable  length,  in  which  their  services  at 
Gettysburg  were  fully  described,  and  to  which  was  added  some  further  mention 
of  their  campaigns  during  the  entire  war.  The  sketches  of  the  Fifty-seventh, 
One  hundred  and  twenty-third,  One  hundred  and  twenty-fourth,  and  One  hun 
dred  and  twenty-fifth  regiments  were  compiled  thus  from  regimental  histories, 

191 


192  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

under  some  appropriate  title,  the  authorship  being  duly  credited  to  the  writer 
of  the  history. 

If  certain  regiments  and  batteries  occupy  but  a  brief  space  in  the  pages  of 
the  report,  it  is  due  to  the  indifference  and  neglect  of  the  officers  of  their 
veteran  associations  who  were  repeatedly  asked  to  furnish  some  historical 
material.  Failing  to  do  this  the  editor  remedied  these  deficiencies  as  best  he 
could  by  collecting  such  facts  and  statistics  pertaining  to  these  commands  as 
could  be  found  in  the  official  records. 

The  biographies  of  the  nineteen  New  York  generals  who  were  at  Gettysburg 
also  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  editor,  necessitating  an  extended  correspondence  with 
various  persons  in  order  to  obtain  sufficient  data  and  information  to  fill  out  a 
suitable  history  of  each,  and  again  adding  to  the  work  of  the  editor  the  further 
task  of  providing  original  matter. 

The  preparation  of  the  Roll  of  Honor  involved  an  amount  of  work  which  is 
not  apparent  to  the  reader.  The  compilation  of  these  names  required  the 
careful  examination  at  Albany  of  the  muster-out-rolls  of  677  companies ;  and, 
at  Washington,  of  the  bi-monthly  returns  of  the  same,  the  records  at  one  place 
being  used  as  a  check  upon  the  other.  The  spelling  of  uncommon  names  was 
carefully  studied,  and  where  doubt  existed  the  signature  on  the  pay-roll 
in  the  second  auditor's  office  was  copied,  the  signature  often  differing  from 
the  phonetic  spelling  of  the  company  clerk. 

But  muster-out-rolls  are  far  from  accurate,  and  great  care  was  necessary  to 
prevent  errors  in  the  work.  Men  borne  on  the  rolls  as  "  Killed  at  Gettysburg  " 
were  found  to  have  died  of  disease ;  or,  having  been  captured,  to  have  died  in 
Andersonville ;  or,  to  have  been  captured  and  exchanged;  or,  having  been 
wounded,  to  have  been  discharged  from  some  hospital  without  notice  to  the 
regiment.  On  the  other  hand  it  was  found  that  some  soldiers,  who  were  borne 
on  the  rolls  as  deserters,  were  killed  at  Gettysburg,  and  the  record  was  changed 
accordingly. 

The  list  of  interments  in  the  Gettysburg  National  Cemetery  was  carefully 
scrutinized  and  each  name  compared  with  the  Roll  of  Honor.  But  this  list, 
which  is  only  a  partial  one,  is  replete  with  errors.  On  it  —  and  also  on  the 
headstones  —  are  names  purporting  to  be  those  of  New  York  soldiers  belong 
ing  to  various  regiments  none  of  which  were  at  the  battle.  Some  of  these 
names  were  hunted  down  and  found  in  regiments  with  similar  numerals ;  and, 
some  were  found  on  the  rolls  of  New  Jersey  regiments,  an  error  due  to  the 
similarity  of  initials. 

But  the  most  perplexing  difficulty  lay  in  the  names  of  soldiers,  borne  on 
the  interment  list  and  on  headstones,  some  of  whom  were  not  at  Gettysburg ; 
some  who  died  elsewhere  unwounded ;  some  who  were  mustered  out  at  the  close 
of  the  war ;  and  some  who  are  alive  to-day.  The  list  includes  also  the  name  of 
a  lieutenant  in  the  Eightieth  New  York  Volunteers,  who  was  killed  and  buried 
at  Second  Bull  Run, one  year  previous.  In  explanation  of  some  of  these  pecu 
liar  errors  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  soldiers  often  carried  on  their 
persons  articles  or  letters  belonging  to  some  comrade ;  and,  that  in  removing 
the  bodies  from  the  battlefield  to  the  cemetery,  the  unpleasant  work  of  exhuma 
tion  and  identification  was  necessarily  hurriedly  done. 

Mention  is  made  of  these  details  in  order  that  the  reader  may  have  some 
idea  of  the  care  and  caution  which  was  exercised  in  placing  each  name  on  the 
list.  No  labor  or  expense  was  spared  in  making  this  Roll  of  Honor  as  com 
plete  and  accurate  as  possible.  If  anyone  should  find  a  name  that  does  not 
belong  there,  or  that  some  name  has  been  omitted,  the  Adjutant-General  at 
Albany  should  be  notified.  After  due  examination  and  inquiry,  if  such  error 
or  omission  is  found  to  exist,  the  record  will  be  corrected  accordingly. 

W.  F.  F. 


NEW  YORK  DAY 


AT 


GETTYSBURG 


JULY  i,  2,  3,  1893. 


DEDICATION  OF  STATE  MONUMENT. 

JULY  2. 
13  193 


CIRCULARS  AND  ORDERS. 


NEW  YORK,  March  27,  1805. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 
CIRCULAR  No.  i. 

General  Sickles,  Chairman  of  this  Board,  directs  me  to  inquire  how  many  sur 
viving  veterans  of  your  command,  who  took  part  in  the  BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG, 
desire  to  avail  themselves  of  the  free  transportation  provided  in  biil  now 
pending  in  the  State  Legislature,  to  and  from  Gettysburg,  upon  the  occasion 
of  the  dedication  of  the  State  monument  and  the  regimental  and  battery  monu 
ments,  on  the  ist,  2d,  and  3d  of  July  next,  being-  the  thirtieth  anniversary  of 
the  battle,  to  be  known  as  "  New  York  Day;  "  also  state  along  which  line  ol 
railway,  and,  as  near  as  may  be,  between  what  stations,  the  men  can  assemble. 

Kindly  forward  these  facts,  without  delay,  giving  a  list  of  the  names  of 
these  veterans,  certified  by  the  officers  of  your  association,  so  that  in  the  event 
of  final  enactment  of  bill,  all  arrangements  in  connection  with  transportation 
may  be  perfected  at  an  early  day,  and  thus  avoid  disappointment. 

Favor  me  with  an  acknowledgment  of  receipt  of  this  circular  by  return  mail, 
accompanied  with  a  list  of  the  executive  officers  of  your  organization. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Engineer. 


APRIL  10,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.  2. 

Hektograph  Circular  No.  2  —  blank  form  for  list  of  names  of  those  veterans 
applying  for  transportation, —  is  superseded  by  the  printed  blank  herewith 
inclosed,  the  former  having  been  issued  for  the  information  of  executive  officers 
of  the  several  organizations,  immediately  after  replies  to  Circular  No.  i  were 
received. 

A  sufficient  number  of  blanks  will  be  furnished  to  enable  officers  of  veteran 
organizations  to  preserve  duplicates  of  lists  of  veterans  transmitted  to  this 
Board. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Engineer. 


196  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

APRIL  20,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.  3. 

General  Sickles,  Chairman  of  this  Board,  directs  me  to  inform  your  veteran 
organization  that  the  bill,  providing  free  transportation  for  those  veterans  who 
took  part  in  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg,  referred  to  in  Circular  No.  i,  has  passed 
both  branches  of  the  State  Legislature.  You  are,  therefore,  requested  to  fur 
nish,  ivithout  delay,  the  names  and  addresses  of  those  participants  in  the  battle 
who  desire  to  avail  themselves  of  free  transportation  by  the  State,  so  as  to  enable 
the  Commissioners  to  make  the  necessary  railway  arrangements. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Engineer. 


MAY  6,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 
CIRCULAR  No.  4. 

General  Sickles,  Chairman  of  this  Board,  directs  me  to  request  that  you  fur 
nish,  without  delay,  the  names  and  addresses,  referred  to  in  Circular  No.  i, 
these  lists  to  be  filled  out  on  blank  forms  which  have  been  sent  to  your  address. 

If  you  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  list  you  send  is  not  complete,  a  supple 
mentary  list  may  be  made  out  on  or  before  May  26th,  and  forwarded  to  this 
office.  It  is,  however,  important  that  the  list  you  will  now  send  should  be  as 
nearly  complete  as  the  time  afforded  may  permit.  You  will  please  indicate  how 
many,  if  any,  names  are  likely  to  appear  on  the  second  list. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Engineer. 


MAY  24,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.  5. 

General  Sickles,  Chairman  of  this  Board,  directs  that  the  utmost  care  be  exer 
cised  on  the  part  of  the  executive  officers  of  each  veteran  organization  to 
verify  in  every  instance  the  fact  that  each  and  every  applicant  on  their  list  is  a 
veteran  of  their  command  who  participated  with  their  command  at  the  Battle 
of  Gettysburg.  This  is  more  especially  enjoined  for  the  reason  that  it  is  the 
intention  of  the  Board,  on  behalf  of  the  State,  to  give  to  each  participant  in  the 
battle  with  a  New  York  command,  a  medal  of  honor,  and  it  would  be  extremely 
mortifying  to  present  one  except  to  a  soldier  who,  by  his  services  at  Gettysburg, 
is  entitled  to  it. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  197 

The  Commissioners  reserve  the  right,  as  it  is  their  duty,  to  revise  critically 
every  list  of  applicants  sent  in. 

All  applications  for  free  transportation  must  be  filed  in  this  office  on  or  before 
June  7,  1893,  after  which  date  no  more  applications  will  be  received.  This  order 
is  imperative,  and  is  necessary  to  afford  the  Commissioners  sufficient  time  ,to 
perfect  the  arrangements  incident  to  transportation. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Engineer. 


MAY  29,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.  6. 

DEAR  SIR. —  An  examination  of  your  list  shows  that  your  men  are  very 
much  scattered  at  various  stations  along  numerous  lines  of  railways  through 
the  State. 

To  simplify  the  work  of  the  Board  in  satisfactorily  apportioning  your  men 
to  their  nearest  large  railroad  center  or  city,  I  would  ask  that  you  carefully 
examine  your  list  and  designate  most  convenient  railway  centres  or  large  rail 
way  stations  for  the  members  of  your  command  named  on  your  list.  This  is 
important,  as  it  is  the  desire  of  the  Commissioners  to  afford  every  facility  that 
can  be  reasonably  extended,  but  they  are  obliged  to  confine  themselves  to  prin 
cipal  railway  points  through  the  State,  in  order  that  the  railroad  companies  may 
have  our  special  tickets  at  the  stations  at  which  applications  are  made  for  same, 
and  thereby  avoid  complications  and  consequent  disappointment. 

Yours  truly, 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Engineer. 


MAY  31,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.  7. 

General  Sickles,  Chairman  of  this  Board,  directs  me  to  state  that  700  tents  — 
12  feet  by  14  feet  —  from  the  Quartermaster-General's  Department,  United 
States  Army,  will  be  set  up  adjacent  to  the  Cemetery  for  the  accommodation  of 
all  veterans  who  desire  quarters  under  canvas.  These  tents  will  accommodate 
8,400  persons.  No  rations  or  subsistence  of  any  kind  can  be  supplied  by  the 
State. 

The  principal  services  of  the  occasion  will  take  place  at  the  State  Monument 
on  the  afternoon  of  July  2d. 

Transportation  certificates  will  be  made  out  to  each  surviving  New  York- 
veteran  who  was  in  the  battle,  whose  name  appears  on  the  books  of  the  Board 
as  entitled  by  his  services  to  free  transportation  under  the  law.  These  cer- 


198  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

tificates  will  be  issued  and  delivered  to  the  executive  officers  of  veteran  associa 
tions  (to  the  individual  in  case  no  veteran  association  exists),  and  it  will  be 
their  duty  to  distribute  them  to  the  soldiers  in  whose  favor  they  are  drawn. 
Each  holder  of  certificate  will  present  it  at  the  ticket  office  designated  thereon, 
receipt  for  and  receive  a  railway  ticket  entitling  him  to  receive  transportation 
to  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  and  return  to  place  of  starting. 

Any  person  not  entitled  to  free  transportation,  desiring  to  go  to  Gettysburg 
to  participate  in  the  ceremonies  of  "  New  York  Day,"  can  purchase  a  ticket  at 
these  stations  for  the  reduced  rate  that  the  State  pays  for  the  transportation  of 
the  veteran.  The  Board,  on  behalf  of  the  State,  extends  to  all  veterans  and 
citizens  a  cordial  invitation  to  be  present  on  this  occasion.  The  rates  will  be 
slightly  in  excess  of  half-fare. 

A  full  tabulation  of  rates  on  all  the  trunk  lines,  from  all  the  principal  stations 
within  the  State,  is  now  being  prepared,  and  as  soon  as  completed  will  be 
printed  and  promulgated. 

All  tickets  will  be  good  from  June  26  to  July  2,  1893,  going;  and  July  8th,  in 
clusive,  returning. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Secretary. 


JUNE  7,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.  8. 

The  time  for  receiving  applications  for  transportation,  due  notice  of  which 
was  given  in  Circular  No.  5,  dated  May  24,  1893,  expires  to-day.  General 
Sickles,  Chairman  of  this  Board,  directs  me  to  state  that  applications  hereafter 
received  on  blanks  furnished  by  the  Board,  copy  inclosed,  may  be  forwarded, 
and  will  be  placed  on  file;  but  the  large  number  of  applications  already  received 
compels  the  Board  to  give  all  their  attention  to  the  proper  arrangement,  check 
ing  and  apportioning  transportation  to  those  whose  names  have  already  been 
transmitted.  If  time  permits,  applications  hereafter  received  will  be  taken  up 
for  examination  and  action.  Lists  forwarded  after  to-day  will  be  in  time  for 
consideration  in  the  proper  distribution  of  medals,  although  they  may  be  too 
late  to  secure  transportation. 

A.  J:  ZABRISKIE, 

Secretary. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  199 

JUNE  12,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.  9. 

CERTIFICATES. 

The  following  form  of  certificate  will  be  issued  on  the  occasion  of  "  New 
York  Day,"  to  those  whose  names  are  now  on  the  books  of  the  Board,  and 
are  entitled  by  their  services  to  free  transportation: 


No  ..  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK. 

9 

BOARD  OF  GETTYSBURG  MONUMENTS  COMMISSIONERS.  £j 

t> 
List  No  .........  New  York,  ................  ,1893-      V 

H 
fed 

The  ............................................   Railroad  Company  will  please  W 

furnish  ...............................  ,  late  of  ................................. 

transportation  for  himself  from  ..............................................  to  £j 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  and  return,  on  the  occasion  of  "  New  York  Day."  IT) 

D.  E.  SICKLES,  Chairman.          § 

to 
& 

SPECIAL  NOTICE.—  This  order  must  be   exchanged   in    person    at  the  ticket      |3 

ra 

office  for  a  ticket  on  any  day  from  June  26th  to  July  2d,  1893,  inclusive,  and  the  ticket  tel 
which  will  be  issued  hereon  will  be  good  to  return  until  July  8th,  1893,  inclusive.  s 
This  order  will  not  be  accepted  for  passage  on  train. 


Received  this  ....................   day  of   ....................  ,   1893, 

transportation  as  per  above  order. 


Late  of 


CERTIFICATES  AND  TICKETS  NOT  TRANSFERABLE. 

General  Sickles,  Chairman  of  this  Board,  directs  that  any  veteran  who  trans 
fers  his  certificate  or  ticket  will  forfeit  his  medal  of  honor  and  badge. 

MUSTER  FOR  MEDALS. 

Executive  officers  of  each  organization  are  requested  immediately  after  their 
arrival  at  Gettysburg  to  assemble  the  members  of  their  commands,  ascertain 
the  names  of  those  present,  and  make  such  further  inquiry  and  investigation 
as  may  be  necessary  to  enable  them  to  fill  out  a  roll  of  those  entitled  to  receive 
a  medal  for  services  at  Gettysburg  with  their  commands,  July  i,  2,  3,  1863. 
It  is  expected  that  all  officers  will  assure  themselves  positively  that  no  name 
appears  on  these  "Rolls  of  Honor  "  not  entitled  to  be  placed  there. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

A  certified  copy  of  these  rolls  showing  those  who  are  present,  or  absent 
and  accounted  for,  together  with  such  other  remarks  as  may  be  deemed  per 
tinent,  must  be  filed  at  this  office  by  the  I5th  of  July,  1893.  Blank  forms  will 
be  furnished  at  Headquarters  of  the  Commissioners,  Gettysburg,  July  ist. 

UNIFORMS. 

It  is  the  wish  of  the  Board  that  all  veterans  appear  in  the  uniform  usually 
worn  on  Memorial  Day. 

PARADE,  JULY  2d. 

Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield,  late  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
has  accepted  the  appointment  of  Grand  Marshal,  and  enters  upon  the  work 
of  arranging  for  a  suitable  parade  for  the  occasion.  Commanding  officers  of 
organizations,  on  their  arrival  at  Gettysburg,  are  requested  to  report  to  General 
Butterfield  at  his  Headquarters. 

SPECIAL  REPORT  ON  TRANSPORTATION,  ETC. 

The  senior  officer  of  each  organization  will  report  in  person  at  this  office 
to  designate  to  the  Secretary  those  on  his  list  who  are  entitled  to  go  to  Gettys 
burg,  and  who  will  go.  He  will,  at  the  same  time,  correct  all  errors  in  his 
list,  and  report  by  what  routes  and  from  what  stations  tke  men  of  his  command 
will  leave.  The  State  will  pay  necessary  railway  fare  incurred  in  the  per 
formance  of  this  duty.  Due  notice  will  be  given  when  to  report  at  this 
office. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Secretary. 


JUNE  21,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.   10. 

The  following  correspondence  as  to  the  arrangements  approved  and  in 
preparation  by  General  Butterfield,  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
at  Gettysburg,  who  is  to  be  in  command  of  the  parade,  is  published  for  informa 
tion  of  veterans  attending.  The  chief  of  each  organization  should  promptly 
distribute  them  to  his  comrades. 

A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Secretary. 


JUNE  12,  1893. 
Major-General  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD: 

GENERAL. —  This  Board,  at  its  last  meeting,  directed  me  to  invite  you  to 
take  command  of  the  New  York  veterans  who  will  assemble  at  Gettysburg  on 
"  New  \  ork  Day,"  and  organize  and  direct  a  parade  of  the  veterans  on  July 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  201 

2cl.  It  is  desired  that  the  column  march  from  the  rendezvous  in  the  town 
to  the  site  of  the  State  Monument  in  the  National  Cemetery,  where  the  cere 
monies  of  dedication  will  take  place  at  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  second 
of  July. 

As  soon  as  you  advise  me  of  the  appointments  you  have  made  for  staff 
duty,  and  of  the  orders  you  wish  promulgated,  they  will  be  embodied  in  a 
circular  from  these  Headquarters  and  transmitted  to  the  chiefs  of  the  ninety- 
two  organizations  which  represented  the  State  of  New  York  on  the  battlefield. 

Reports  already  received  from  these  organizations  give  the  names  of  nearly 
eight  thousand  veterans,  present  in  the  battle,  who  have  applied  for  the  free 
transportation  given  by  the  State  to  participants  in  the  battle,  belonging  to 
New  York  commands. 

It  is  expected  besides,  that  a  considerable  number  of  the  survivors  of  New 
York  regiments  and  batteries,  not  present  at  Gettysburg,  attracted  by  this 
interesting  occasion,  will  avail  themselves  of  the  reduced  rates  of  fare  for 
this  excursion,  and  join  their  comrades  in  dedicating  the  eighty-six  monu 
ments  erected  on  the  battlefield  by  the  State  of  New  York  to  the  memory  of 
her  heroic  soldiers. 

It  is  desired  that  all  veterans  will,  as  far  as  practicable,  appear  in  the  uni 
form  worn  usually  on  "  Memorial  Day."  The  several  commands  have  already 
been  so  instructed. 

This  Board  of  Commissioners  will  cheerfully  afford  any  facilities  in  their 
power  to  make  the  occasion  a  success,  and  to  this  end  invite  your  suggestions. 

Sincerely  yours, 
(Signed.)  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES, 

Chairman. 


JUNE  1 6,  1893. 
Major-General  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES,  Chairman,  etc.: 

GENERAL. —  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  your  kind  telegrams  and  let 
ter  by  which  I  am  advised  that  your  Board  have  designated  me  to  take  com 
mand  of  the  veterans  yet  living  from  New  York  State  who  fought  in  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  who  will  assemble  on  July  ist,  2d  and  3d  next,  at 
the  dedication  ceremonies,  July  2d,  of  the  monument  erected  for  the  State  of 
New  York  on  that  field. 

It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  show  by  any  act  or  duty  gratitude  for  the  splendid 
work  that  has  been  so  efficiently  carried  out  by  your  Board.  Every  soldier 
from  New  York  State  who  participated  in  that  battle  will  ever  remember  and 
appreciate  it,  and  thank  you  gentlemen  for  it. 

Fully  appreciating  the  high  honor  conferred  upon  me  by  this  compliment 
from  your  Board,  I  accept  the  duty  assigned  me.  Availing  myself  of  the 
courtesy  conveyed  in  your  invitation  for  suggestions,  and  your  offer  to  pro 
mulgate  any  appointments,  orders,  etc.,  I  respectfully  suggest  that  the  vet 
erans  be  formed  in  columns  near  their  camp  ground  and  opposite  the  Cemetery 
and  along  both  sides  of  the  road  to  Gettysburg,  with  their  flanks  resting  close 
to  the  entrance  to  the  dedication  ground,  thus  avoiding  necessity  for  any  long 
or  fatiguing  march  in  possible  heat,  dust  or  storm,  also  enabling  them  to  be 


2O2  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

properly  placed  for  the  ceremonies  of  the  occasion.  Formation  in  four  ranks 
of  actual  veterans  of  the  battle,  with  their  visiting  comrades  who  accompany 
them  forming-  a  fifth  or  sixth  rank  on  their  left  flank  in  marching,  and  in  their 
rear,  while  standing  in  line  for  the  column  of  Commissioners,  Governor,  Head 
quarters,  Orator,  etc.,  to  pass  in  to  the  grounds  where  the  ceremony  takes 
place. 

By  this  program,  the  veterans  will  be  enabled  to  see  the  head  of  the 
column,  officials  and  dignitaries,  without  fatigue,  and,  also,  to  see  each  other. 
Their  places  of  formation  will  be  indicated  by  their  brigade  flags,  which  will 
be  prepared  for  the  purpose  in  advance,  bearing  their  corps  badges  and  division 
colors;  also,  by  signs  upon  the  formation  ground. 

The  senior  officer  in  each  brigade  on  duty  in  the  battle  who  may  be  present 
on  that  day  will  be  designated  by  me  as  assistant  marshal,  in  charge  of  the 
men  present  from  the  brigade,  with  those  of  their  comrades  who  accompany 
them.  Should  he  be  only  a  brevet  corporal,  he  will  be  found  entirely  capable, 
by  reason  of  his  services  and  experience  thirty  years  ago  (if  in  health)  to 
thoroughly  discharge  his  duty  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 

He  will  have  posted  near  him  his  brigade  flag. 

In  the  same  manner,  taking  the  rank  of  July  2,  1863,  the  senior  officer 
present  from  each  division,  and  the  senior  officer  present  from  each  corps 
will  be  designated  marshal  for  his  corps, —  the  officers  thus  designated  to  report 
their  names  and  rank  promptly  by  letter  to  Col.  C.  W.  Gibbs,  in  care  of  your 
Headquarters,  No..  23  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City,  so  that  they  may  be 
announced  in  orders  with  the  aides  and  additional  staff  the  occasion  may 
demand. 

The  column  will  be  organized  as  follows: 

First.  Honorary  Grand  Marshal  and  Leader,  Gen.  George  S.  Greene,  92 
years  of  age,  the  oldest  living  participant  in  the  battle,  who  commanded  the 
Third  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Twelfth  Corps,  July  I,  2  and  3,  1863. 

Second.  Column  of  flags.  One  flag  for  each  New  York  general  officer, 
regimental  or  battery  commander  killed  on  that  field,  and  any  New  York  offi 
cer  not  now  living,  who  held  and  exercised  the  command  of  a  general  officer 
in  the  battle.  The  flags  to  be  uniform  in  size,  of  silk,  attached  to  each  a 
white  satin  streamer,  inscribed  "  Borne  at  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1893,  New  York 
Dedication  Day,  in  memory  of  [officer's  rank  and  name] ;  "  no  distinction  in 
flags  of  any  kind  or  nature,  except  the  name,  and  where  the  flag  bears  an 
inscription  for  a  general  killed  on  the  field  of  battle,  to  bear  a  wide  red  satin 
streamer,  with  the  name  and  battle  at  the  peak  of  the  standard. 

Third.  Marshal  and  Staff. 

Fourth.  Board  of  Commissioners. 

Fifth.  Escort  and  Governors  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  Orator  of  the 
Day,  Bishop  Henry  C.  Potter,  DeW.  C.  Sprague,  Esq.,  poet,  and  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Derrick. 

Sixth.  Invited  guests  of  honor. 

The  veterans  being  formed  on  both  sides  of  the  route  in  the  following  order: 

Veterans  of  Engineers,  Artillery,  Cavalry,  First  Corps,  Second  Corps,  Third 
Corps,  Fifth  Corps,  Sixth  Corps,  Eleventh  Corps,  Twelfth  Corps.  Your  Board 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  203 

to  provide  guards  to  preserve  the  grand  stand  and  space  surrounding  it  for 
the  officials,  veterans  and  invited  guests. 

After  the  passage  of  Commissioners,  Governors,  etc.,  veterans  follow  the 
column  from  the  left,  passing  between  the  lines  of  veterans  in  their  numerical 
order  as  mentioned,  moving  to  positions  in  front  of  the  stand,  monument,  and 
ceremonies,  to  be  suitably  designated  for  them,  bringing  forward  corps  and 
brigade  flags  to  the  speaker's  stand  or  monument  after  their  arrival,  and  plac 
ing  them  as  may  be  directed  by  proper  indications.  The  close  of  the  cere 
mony,  by  a  national  salute  from  the  artillery,  to  be  the  dismissal  without 
further  ceremony. 

.Should  your  Board  approve  of  this  program,  the  necessary  detailed  orders 
will  be  made  ready  for  distribution,  etc.,  on  July  ist,  at  Gettysburg.  The 
general  staff  and  marshals  will  be  further  announced  in  orders  of  the  day  at 
Gettysburg,  and  are  requested  to  report  to  Brig.  Gen.  Paul  A.  Oliver,  my 
Chief  of  Staff  and  principal  assistant. 

Col.  H.  W.  Rider,  Twelfth  New  York;  Col.  Freeman  Connor,  Forty-fourth 
New  York,  and  Col.  C.  W.  Gibbs,  Forty-fourth  New  York,  Secretary,  (to 
whom  all  communications  may  be  addressed),  will  act  as  adjutants  and  aids 
in  charge  of  the  office  at  Headquarters. 

In  order  to  avoid  confusion  and  unnecessary  trouble,  it  should  be  communi 
cated  to  all  veterans  attending,  that  the  distribution  of  the  beautiful  medals 
you  have  prepared  for  Gettysburg  veterans,  the  muster  records,  seats  on  plat 
form,  etc.,  are  all  to  be  attended  to  at  Headquarters  of  your  Commission,  and 
not  at  my  Headquarters,  which  will  be  established  in  Carlisle  Street,  near  the 
Centre  square,  in  Gettysburg,  and  will  be  indicated  by  a  United  States  flag,  of 
silk,  embroidered  with  names  of  battles,  being  a  personal  flag. 

Officers  of  the  organization  present  at  the  battle  are  requested  to  forward 
immediately  names  of  officers  to  be  honored  by  flags,  which  include,  as  pro 
posed,  only  those  commanding  officers  from  New  York  State  who  were  killed 
in  the  battle,  and  also  those  who  are  dead  who  commanded  brigades,  or  who 
had  higher  rank  and  command  in  that  battle. 

The  special  escort  for  the  Commissioners,  the  Governor,  etc.,  will  be  an 
nounced  in  future. 

I  am,  General,  very  respectfully  yours, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD. 


JUNE  24,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.   n. 

The  Commissioners  deem  it  proper  to  advise  New  York  veterans,  who, 
under  the  rules  adopted  by  this  Board,  will  be  entitled  to  medals,  that  not 
withstanding  all  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  Board  the  full  number  will  not  be 
received  in  time  for  delivery  at  the  reunion  to  be  held  at  Gettysburg. 

Up  to  this  date,  the  United  States  mint  has  been  unable  to  supply  but  one 
thousand  medals. 


2O4  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Medals  not  delivered  at  Gettysburg  will  be  sent  to  the  president  of  each 
regimental  organization,  to  be  delivered  to  those  who  are  entitled  to  them. 

Attention  is  again  invited  to  the  paragraph  in  Circular  No.  9,  about  the 
"  Muster  Roll  of  Honor  "  for  medals,  to  be  made  out  at  Gettysburg  by  each 
organization  immediately  after  arriving  there. 

D.  E.  SICKLES, 

Chairman. 
A.  J.  ZAERISKIE, 

Secretary. 


JUNE  24,  1893. 
"  NEW  YORK  DAY." 

CIRCULAR  No.   12. 

Rumors  have  reached  the  Commission,  apparently  well  authenticated,  indi 
cating  the  purpose  of  certain  veterans  who  will  visit  Gettysburg  on  "  New  York 
Day  "  to  destroy  the  trolley  railroad  now  being  constructed  over  the  battle 
field.  The  Board,  therefore,  feel  constrained  by  a  proper  sense  of  the  decorum 
due  to  that  occasion,  to  appeal  most  earnestly  to  all  New  York  veterans  to 
abstain  from  any  act  of  violence  against  property  of  any  description  during 
their  visit  to  Gettysburg,  and  to  refrain  from  anything  like  discourtesy  toward 
the  persons  identified  with  that  undertaking,  however  obnoxious  such  persons 
may  have  made  themselves. 

In  making  this  appeal,  the  Commissioners  are  by  no  means  insensible  to 
the  outrage  committed  by  the  vandals,  who,  for  the  mere  sake  of  gain  are 
desecrating  and  destroying  the  characteristic  features  of  a  battlefield  which 
Lincoln  said  was  consecrated  ground. 

We  ask  you,  veterans  of  New  York,  to  let  the  trolley  railroad  alone;  neither 
do  anything  to  injure  it,  nor  anything  that  will  benefit  it;  do  not  put  a  penny 
in  its  treasury;  do  not  ride  on  its  cars. 

We  are  informed  that  the  work  of  mutilation  and  destruction  is  now  pushed 
recklessly,  and  in  contempt  of  all  remonstrances,  whether  emanating  from  the 
Government,  or  from  veterans,  or  from  the  press  of  the  country,  so  that  the 
interested  parties  may  reap  their  first  harvest  of  profit  from  the  large  assem 
blage  of  veterans  who  will  be  present  on  the  approaching  anniversary  of  the 
battle. 

Veterans!  You  owe  it  to  your  own  self-respect  to  leave  the  property  of  the 
railroad  company  under  the  protection  of  the  law,  until  the  proper  authorities 
shall  put  a  stop  to  the  acts  which  have  justly  provoked  your  indigna 
tion.  Meanwhile,  you  can  not  do  less  than  to  mark  your  disapprobation  by 
withholding  your  patronage  from  an  undertaking  that  defaces  the  battlefield 
where  you  fought. 

Don't  ride  in  the  cars!  Advise  your  friends  to  keep  away  from  them!  Refuse 
free  passes  if  these  are  offered  to  you! 

D.  E.  SICKLES, 

Chairman. 
A.  J.  ZABRISKIE, 

Secretary. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  205 

BULLETIN  No.  I. 

Guests  are  advised  to  make  arrangements  promptly  for  hotel  accommoda 
tions  at  Gettysburg.  This  is  necessary  on  account  of  the  large  numbers  that 
will  be  present  on  this  occasion. 

Invited  guests  will  be  entitled  to  the  same  reduction  in  railway  fares  as  is 
allowed  to  the  State  in  the  transportation  of  veterans.  Tickets  are  good  from 
June  26th  to  July  2d,  going,  and  from  July  2d  to  July  8th,  returning. 

BULLETIN  No.  2. 

Each  holder  of  a  certificate  must  present  it  at  the  railway  station  specified, 
and  receipt  for  his  ticket  in  the  presence  of  the  agent. 

Certificates  are  not  transferable.  If  not  used,  they  must  be  returned  to  A.  J. 
Zabriskie,  No.  23  Fifth  Avenue. 

Any  veteran  attempting  to  transfer  his  certificate,  or  ticket,  will  forfeit  his 
badge  and  medal. 

Exchange  your  certificate  for  a  ticket  immediately  after  the  26th  instant, 
and  thus  avoid  possible  delays,  which  may  occur  if  you  wait  until  the  time  of 
starting. 


HEADQUARTERS  BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS, 

EAGLE  HOTEL,  GETTYSBURG,  PA.,  July  i,  1893. 

The  following  program  of  exercises  during  "  New  York  Day,"  July  I,  2, 
3,  1893,  at  Gettysburg,  is  published  for  the  information  and  guidance  of  New 
York  veterans  and  their  friends  who  may  be  present. 

FIRST  DAY  —  July  ist. 

Visiting  battlefield  and  monuments  by  veterans  and  guests. 
Dedication  of  monuments  by  regiments  and  batteries. 

EVENING. 

Illuminations  and  fireworks  along  intrenchments  on  Gulp's  Hill. 

Organizations  will  announce  on  the  bulletin  board  in  front  of  Headquarters, 
any  special  ceremonies,  all  of  which  will  be  under  the  direction  of  the  respective 
organizations  interested. 

SECOND  DAY  —  July  2d,  9  A.  M. 

Reception  of  Gen.  George  S.  Greene  by  his  brigade,  on  Gulp's  Hill. 

Oration  by  Maj.  Gen.  Henry  W.  Slocum. 

During  the  morning,  if  not  already  done,  veterans  of  each  organization  will 
please  familiarize  themselves  with  the  position  which  it  is  to  take  for  the 
parade. 

At  1 130  P.  M.  every  organization  is  expected  to  be  formed  in  the  position 
indicated  by  the  orders  of  General  Butterfield,  which  are  printed  on  the  next 


206  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

page.     At  that  hour  the  Headquarters  column  will  move  from  the  Central 
square  to  the  Cemetery  and  Monument  ground. 

PROGRAM  OF  EXERCISES  AT  THE  CEMETERY,  3  p.  M. 

1.  Music  —  "  Star  Spangled  Banner." 

2.  Hymn  by  Kennicot  Quartette. 

3.  Prayer  —  Rev.  Dr.  W.  B.  Derrick  (Veteran  Soldier). 

4.  Introductory   Remarks  by  President   of  the    Board  of   Commissioners,    Gen.    D.    E. 

Sickles. 

5.  Dedication  Address  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  H.  C.  Potter. 

6.  Introduction  of  Governor  Flower  and  Governor  Pattison  to  Veterans. 

7.  Response  by  Governor  Flower  and  Governor  Pattison. 

8.  Poem  by  Mr.  Dewitt  C.  Sprague. 

9.  Hymn  by  Kennicot  Quartette. 

10.  Patriotic  Song  by  Kennicot  Quartette. 

n.  Benediction  by  Bishop  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia. 

12.  Salute  by  U.  S.  Battery. 

Immediately  after  the  ceremonies  at  the  State  Monument  are  concluded,  the 
monument  erected  to  Sickles'  Excelsior  Brigade  will  be  dedicated,  on  Sickles 
Avenue,  near  the  Emmitsburg  road. 

THIRD  DAY  —  July  3d. 

The    completion    of    "  Muster    Rolls    of    Honor,"    and    filing    of    returns 

for  medals  at  Headquarters,  Eagle  Hotel,  in  compliance  with  Circular  No.  9. 

Further  dedication  of  monuments  by  regimental  organizations  and  batteries, 

including  Forty-fourth  and  Twelfth  New  York  Infantry,  on  Little  Round  Top, 

at  10  A.  M.,  and  such  others  as  may  be  announced  on  the  bulletin  board. 

The  bulletin  board  at  Commissioners'  Headquarters  will  contain  orders  of 
the  day,  and  all  notices  and  orders  not  hitherto  published.  An  extra  bulletin 
board  for  publication  of  notices  by  regimental  and  battery  organizations,  of 
their  meetings,  ceremonies,  etc.,  which  they  are  invited  to  use,  will  be  printed 
at  Commissioners'  Headquarters. 

By  direction  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners, 

Maj.  Gen.  D.  E.  SICKLES, 

Chairman. 


JUNE  28,  1893. 

Major  General  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES,  Chairman  Board  of  Commissioners: 

GENERAL. —  Will  you  kindly  cause  the  following  to  be  published   for  the 

information  of  the  New  York  veterans  who  are  to  assemble  at  Gettysburg,  with 

regard  to  the  movement  and  formation  July  2d,  viz. : 

For  the  purposes  of  the  parade  and  review  and  moving  to  position  in  the 

ceremonies,  the  veterans  present  will  be  arranged,  after  they  have  formed  them- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  207 

selves  in  regimental  and  brigade  organizations,   in  four  grand  divisions,   as 

follows : 

FIRST  GRAND  DIVISION. 

Bvt.  Brig.  Gen.  Paul  A.  Oliver,  Marshal. 
Headquarter  Troops,  Army  of  Potomac. 
Veterans  of  the  following  commands,  viz.: 
Signal  Corps  —  Oneida  Cavalry. 
Detachment  Ninety-third  New  York  Infantry. 

ENGINEER  BRIGADE. 
Fifteenth    New  York  —  Fiftieth  New  York  Engineers. 

CAVALRY  CORPS. 

First  Division,  First  Brigade — Eighth  New  York. 
First  Division,  Second  Brigade  — Sixth  New  York,  Ninth  New  York. 
Second  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Second  New  York,  Fourth  New  York. 
Second  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Tenth  New  York. 
Third  Division,  First  Brigade  — Fifth  New  York. 

HORSE  ARTILLERY. 
First  Brigade  —  Sixth  New  York  Independent  Battery. 

ARTILLERY  RESERVE. 

First  Volunteer  Brigade  — New  York  Light   Fifteenth   Battery. 
Second  Volunteer  Brigade  —  New  York  Light  Fifth  Battery. 

Fourth  Volunteer  Brigade  —  Eleventh,  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth  New  York  Batteries, 
First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Batteries  G  and  K. 

FIRST  ARMY  CORPS. 

First  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Seventy-sixth  New  York,  Eighty-fourth  New  York 
(Fourteenth  Militia),  Ninety-fifth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-seventh  New 
York. 

Second  Division,  First  Brigade  —  Ninety-fourth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Fourth 
New  York. 

Second  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Eighty-third  New  York  (Ninth  Militia).  Ninety- 
seventh  New  York. 

Third  Division,  First  Brigade  —  Eightieth  New  York  (Twentieth  Militia), 

Artillery  Brigade  —  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Battery  L. 

SECOND  GRAND  DIVISION. 

Bvt.  Brig.  Gen.  H.  E.  Tremain,  Marshal. 

SECOND  ARMY  CORPS. 

General  Headquarters  —  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry,  Companies  D  and  K 
First  Division,  First  Brigade —  Sixty-first  New  York. 

First  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Sixty-third  New  York,  Sixty-ninth  New  York.  Eighty- 
eighth  New  York. 


2o8  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

First  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Fifty-second  New  York,  Fifty-seventh  New  York. 
Sixty-sixth  New  York. 

First  Division,  Fourth  Brigade  —  Sixty-fourth  New  York. 

Second  Division,  First  Brigade —  Eighty-second  New  York  (Second  Militia). 

Second  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Forty-second  New  York,  Fifty-ninth  New  York. 

Third  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Tenth  New  York  Battalion,  One  Hundred  and  Eighth 
New  York. 

Third  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Thirty-ninth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Ne\v  York,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
sixth  New  York. 

Artillery  Brigade  —  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Battery  B. 


THIRD  ARMY  CORPS. 

First  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Eighty-sixth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- 
fourth  New  York. 

First  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Fortieth  New  York. 

Second  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Seventieth  New  York,  Seventy-first  New  York, 
Seventy-second  New  York,  Seventy-third  New  York,  Seventy-fourth  New  York, 
One  Hundred  and  Twentieth  New  York. 

Artillery  Brigade  —  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Battery  D,  Fourth  New  York 
Independent  Battery. 

THIRD  GRAND  DIVISION. 
Maj.  Gen.  Alexander  Shaler,  Marshal. 


FIFTH  ARMY  CORPS. 

General  Headquarters  —  Twelfth  New  York. 

First  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Forty-fourth  New  York. 

Second  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  New  York.  One  Hundred 

and  Forty-sixth  New  York. 
Artillery  Brigade  —  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Battery  C. 


SIXTH  ARMY  CORPS. 

First  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-first  New  York. 

Second  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Thirty-third  New  York,  Forty-third  New  York,  Forty- 
ninth  New  York,  Seventy-seventh  New  York. 

Third  Division,  First  Brigade  —  Sixty-fifth  New  York.  Sixty-seventh  New  York.  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-second  New  York. 

Artillery  Brigade  —  First  New  York  Independent  Battery,  Third  New  York  Independ 
ent  Battery. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  209 

FOURTH  GRAND  DIVISION. 

Brig.  Gen.  John  A.  Reynolds,  Marshal. 

ELEVENTH  ARMY  CORPS. 

General  Headquarters,  Eighth  New  York. 

First  Division,  First  Brigade  —  Forty-first  New  York,  Fifty-fourth  New  York,  Sixty- 
eighth  New  York. 

Second  Division,  First  Brigade  —  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  New  York,  One  Hun 
dred  and  Fifty-fourth  New  York. 

Second  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-sixth  New  York. 

Third  Division,  First  Brigade —  Forty-fifth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-seventh 
New  York. 

Third  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  Fifty-eighth  New  York,  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth 
New  York. 

Artillery  Brigade  —  First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Battery  I. 

TWELFTH  ARMY  CORPS. 

First  Division,  First  Brigade  —  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-third  New  Yorlc. 
First  Division,  Second  Brigade  —  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  New  York. 
First  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  One  Hundred  and  Seventh  New  York. 
Second  Division,  Third  Brigade  —  Sixtieth  New  York,  Seventy-eighth  New  York,  One 

Hundred   and   Second   New   York,    One   Hundred  and   Thirty-seventh    New  York, 

One  Hundred  and  Forty-ninth  New  York. 
Artillery  Brigade  — First  New  York  Light  Artillery,  Battery  M. 

Formation  to  be  made  by  1 130  P.  M.  as  follows,  viz. : 

The  Fourth  Grand  Division  will  be  formed  on  Baltimore  Street  east  side, 
its  left  opposite  the  entrance  to  and  facing  the  Cemetery. 

The  Third  Grand  Division  will  be  formed  on  Baltimore  Street,  west  side, 
its  right  near  the  entrance  to  the  Cemetery,  opposite  to  and  facing  that  of 
the  Fourth  Grand  Division. 

The  Second  Grand  Division  will  be  formed  with  its  left  on  the  right  of 
the  Fourth  Grand  Division,  on  east  side  Baltimore  Street,  facing  west. 

The  First  Grand  Division  will  be  formed  on  the  left  of  the  Third  Grand 
Division,  its  right  resting  on  that  of  the  Third  Grand  Division. 

After  the  Headquarters,  Board  of  Commissioners,  Governors,  and  invited 
guests  have  passed  between  the  lines  of  veterans  in  review,  the  veterans  will 
break  into  column  and  march  past  each  other  to  the  positions  for  the  dedica 
tion  ceremonies  in  the  following  order: 

The  Third  Grand  Division  will  then  break  into  column  in  front,  and  pass 
between  the  Third  and  Fourth  Grand  Divisions  into  the  Cemetery  grounds. 

The  Second  Grand  Division  will  then  break  from  their  right  and  march  to 
the  left,  the  Second  Corps  passing  the  Third  Corps,  and  then  between  the 
Third  and  Fourth  Grand  Divisions,  following  the  First  Grand  Division. 

The  Third  Corps  in  same  manner. 

The  Third  Grand  Division  will  then  break  into  column  in  front,  and  pass 
before  the  Fourth  Grand  Division,  following  the  Second  Grand  Division  to 
position  in  the  Cemetery  grounds. 

14 


2io  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

The  Fourth  Grand  Division  will  then  break  from  its  right,  the  Eleventh 
Corps  passing  before  the  Twelfth  Corps,  and  followed  by  the  Twelfth  Corps, 
pass  to  their  positions  in  the  Cemetery  grounds. 

A  diagram  showing  the  formation  and  movement  will  be  posted  at  both 
Headquarters  of  the  Commissioners  and  of  the  Grand  Marshal  on  Saturday 
before  the  ceremonies.  Should  the  interference  with  the  line  by  the  trolley 
road  necessitate  any  change,  it  will  be  announced  on  the  bulletin  boards,  and 
the  markers  posted  on  the  ground  will  indicate  the  necessary  changes  in 
formation.  The  senior  officer  of  each  brigade  will  send  in  the  name  of  an 
officer  from  the  brigade  for  special  duty  as  aid. 

The  Third  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Twelfth  Corps  —  General  Greene's  — 
will  designate  and  detail  a  special  guard  of  honor  of  five  men  from  each  com 
mand  to  accompany  the  Honorary  Marshal,  General  Greene.  These  details 
will  fall  out  at  the  entrance  to  the  Cemetery,  and  rejoin  their  regiments  in  the 
Fourth  Grand  Division,  Twelfth  Corps. 

The  position  of  each  brigade  will  be  indicated  by  cardboards  placed  near  the 
place  of  their  formation  before  the  ceremony,  and  they  will  aid  in  fixing  any 
change  in  position,  if  any,  made  necessary  by  the  trolley  railroad. 

Each  regimental  and  brigade  organization  will  detail  a  member  of  their  com 
mand  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  the  flag  of  honor  for  any  of  their  brigade 
commanders  from  New  York  State  who  were  killed  in  battle  or  who  have  died 
since  the  battle.  These  details  will  report  to  the  special  aid,  Maj.  George  W. 
Cooney,  charged  with  their  organization. 

The  method  of  designation  of  brigade,  division  and  corps  marshals  will  be 
indicated  on  the  bulletin  board,  with  their  names  and  rank,  if  received  in  season 
therefor.  The  marshals  of  grand  divisions,  the  honorary  marshal  and  the 
chief  marshal  will  be  designated  by  a  yellow  sash  worn  across  the  shoulder. 

A  list  of  special  Marshal's  aids  with  their  duties,  will  be  published  on  the 
bulletin  boards  at  Gettysburg,  July  ist. 

The  further  orders  and  dispositions  that  may  be  necessary  will  be  published 
at  Gettysburg. 

I  am,  very  respectfully, 

DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD, 

Grand  Marshal. 


J.  K.  LYON   1'KIST. 


NEW    YORK    STATE    MONUMENT. 


F.   J.  SEVKHKXCK,   PHOTO. 


In  the  National  Cemetery,  overlooking  the  burial  plot  of  the  New  York  soldiers.    Height,  <«  feet. 

Cost,  §5fl,0'.)5  30. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG  211 

(INSCRIPTIONS.) 

NEW  YORK. 


TO  THE  OFFICERS  AND  SOLDIERS 

OF  THE 
STATE  OF  NEW  YORK 

WHO  FELL  IN  THE 

BATTLE  OF  GETTYSBURG  JULY  1,  2,  3,  1863 
MANY  OF  WHOM  ARE  HERE  BURIED 

THIS  MONUMENT  IS 
ERECTED  BY  A  GRATEFUL  COMMONWEALTH 


OFFICIAL  RETURNS  OF  CASUALTIES  IN  THE  NEW  YORK  COMMANDS: 
KILLED,  82  OFFICERS,    912  MEN 

WOUNDED,*  306  OFFICERS,  3763  MEN 

CAPTURED  OR  MISSING,    69  OFFICERS,  1685  MEN 

GROUP  OF  OFFICERS  PORTRAYED  ON  BRONZE  CIRCULAR  ALTO  RELIEVO: 

(Front)  (Reverse) 

MAJ.  GEN.  D.  E.  SICKLES,  (WOUNDED)  MAJ.  GEN.  HENRY  W.  SLOCUM 
BRIG.  GEN.  JOSEPH  B.  CARR  MAJ.  GEN.  A.  PLEASANTON  OF  D.  C. 

BRIG.  GEN.  J.  H.  H.  WARD  BRIG.  GEN.  JAMES  S.  WADSWORTH 

BVT.  MAJ.  GEN.  S.  K.  ZOOK,  (KILLED)  BRIG.  GEN.  GEORGE  S.  GREENE 
BRIG.  GEN.  C.  K.  GRAHAM,  (WOUNDED)  BRIG.  GEN.  H.  G.  HUNT  OF  OHIO 
BRIG.  GEN.  ROMEYN  B.  AYRES  BRIG.  GEN.  JOSEPH  J.  BARTLETT 

BRIG.  GEN.  S.  H.  WEED,  (KILLED)          BRIG.  GEN.  DAVID  A.  RUSSELL 
BVT.  BRIG.  GEN.  HENRY  E.  TREMAIN    BRIG.  GEN.  ALEX.  SHALER 

BRIG.  GEN.  HENRY  A.  BARNUM 

(Right)  (Left) 

MAJ.  GEN.  J.  F.  REYNOLDS  OF  PA.       MAJ.  GEN.  W.  S.  HANCOCK  OF  PA. 

(KILLED)  (WOUNDED) 

MAJ.  GEN.  A.  DOUBLEDAY,  (WOUNDED)  MAJ.  GEN.  D.  BUTTERFIELD  (WOUNDED) 
BRIG.  GEN.  ADOLPH  VON  STEINWEHR    MAJ.  GEN.  G.  K.  WARREN,  (WOUNDED) 
BRIG.  GEN.  JOHN  C.  ROBINSON  BRIG.  GEN.  JUDSON  KILPATRICK 

BRIG.  GEN.  F.  C.  BARLOW'  (WOUNDED)  BRIG.  GEN.  ALEX.  S.  WEBB  (WOUNDED) 
COL.  THOMAS  C.  DEVIN 

*  Includes  the  mortally  wounded. 


212 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

(  Tablet  on  Reverse  Side) 
OFFICERS  FROM  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK, 

IN  UNITED  STATES  SERVICE, 

WHO  WERE  KILLED  OR  MORTALLY  WOUNDED 
AT  GETTYSBURG,  JULY  1,  2,  3,  1863 


GENERAL  OFFICERS 
BVT.  MAJ.  GEN.  SAMUEL  K.  ZOOK 
BRIG.  GEN.  STEPHEN  H.  WEED 

STH  N.  Y.  CAVALRY 
CAPT.  CHARLES  D.  FOLLETT 

2ND  N.  Y.  BATTERY 
LIEUT.  F.  J.  T.  BLUME 

I4TH  N.  Y.  BATTERY 
CAPT.  JAMES  McKAY  RORTY 

3RD  U.  S.  ARTILLERY 
LIEUT.  MANNING  LIVINGSTON 

4TH  U.  S.  ARTILLERY 
LIEUT.  ALONZO  H.  GUSHING 
LIEUT.  BAYARD  WILKESON 

HTH  U.  S.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  AMAZIAII  J.  BARBER 

12TH  U.  S.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  SILAS  A.  MILLER 

39TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  THEODORE  PAUSCH 
LIEUT.  ADOLPH  WAGNER 

40TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  WILLIAM  H.  H.  JOHNSON 

41  ST  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  REINIIOLD  WINZER 


44Tii  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  Lucius  S.  LARRABEE 
LIEUT.  EUGENE  L.  DUNHAM 
LIEUT.  BENJAMIN  N.  THOMAS 

52ND  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
MAJOR  EDWARD  VENUTI 

58TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  GUSTAVE  STOLDT 
CAPT.  EDWARD  ANTONIESKI 
LIEUT.  Louis  DEITRICH 

59Tii  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LT.  COLONEL  MAX  A.  THOMAN 
LIEUT.  WILLIAM  H.  POHLMAN 

6oTii  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  MYRON  D.  STANLEY 

6iST  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  FRANKLIN  K.  GARLAND 

64TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY. 
CAPT.  HENRY  V.  FULLER 
LIEUT.  ALFRED  H.  LEWIS 
LIEUT.  WILLIS  G.  BABCOCK 
LIEUT.  IRA  S.  THURBER 

66Tii  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  GEORGE  H.  INCE 
CAPT.  ELIJAH  F.  MUNN 

68TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  OTTO  FRIEDRICH 


43RD  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  WILLIAM  H.  GILFILLAN 


7iST  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  ANDREW  W.  ESTES 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


213 


72ND  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  CHARLES  A.  Foss 

73RD  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  EUGENE  C.  SHINE 
LIEUT.  WILLIAM  L.  HERBERT 
LIEUT.  JAMES  MARKSMAN 
LIEUT.  GEORGE  P.  DENNEN 
LIEUT.  MARTIN  E.  HIGGINS 

74TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  WILLIAM  H.  CHESTER 

76TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
MAJOR  ANDREW  J.  GROVER 
CAPT.  ROBERT  B.  EVERETT 
CAPT.  ROBERT  STORY 
LIEUT.  PHILIP  KEELER 
LIEUT.  ROBERT  C.  NOXON 

BOTH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  JOSEPH  S.  CORBIN 
CAPT.  AMBROSE  N.  BALDWIN 
LIEUT.  GEORGE  W.  BRANKSTONI 

82ND  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LT.  COLONEL  JAMES  HUSTON 
CAPT.  JONAH  C.  HOYT 
LIEUT.  JOHN  H.  MCDONALD 
LIEUT.  JOHN  CRANSTON 

83RD  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  THOMAS  W.  QUIRK 
LIEUT.  CHARLES  A.  CLARK 

86TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  JOHN  N.  WARNER 

S8TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  WILLIAM  MCCLELLAND 

97Tii  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  RUSH  R.  CADY 
LIEUT.  WILLIAM  J.  MORRIN 
LIEUT.  JAMES  H.  STILES 

IO2ND  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  JOHN  MEAD 
LTEUT.  JOSIAH  V.  UPHAM 


104™  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  THOMAS  JOHNSTON 

io8Tii  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  CARL  V.  AMIET 
LIEUT.  DAYTON  T.  CARD 
LIEUT.  ROBERT  EVANS 

IIITH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  JOHN  H.  DRAKE 
LIEUT.  AUGUSTUS  W.  PROSEUS 
LIEUT.  ERASTUS  M.  GRANGER 

II9TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  OTTO  TRUMPELMAN 
LIEUT.  EMIL  TROST 
LIEUT.  MATTHIAS  RASEMANN 

I20TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  AYRES  G.  BARKER 
CAPT.  LANSING  HOLLISTER 
LIEUT.  MICHAEL  E.  CREIGHTON 
LIEUT.  JASON  CARLE 
LIEUT.  WILLIAM  J.  COCKBURN 
LIEUT.  JOHN  R.  BURHANS 
LIEUT.  FREDERICK  FREILEWEH 
LIEUT.  EDWARD  H.  KETCHUM 

I23RD  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  NORMAN  F.  WEER 

I24TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
COLONEL  A.  VAN  HORNE  ELLIS 
MAJOR  JAMES  CROMWELL 
CAPT.  ISAAC  NICHOLS 
LIEUT.  MILNOR  BROWN 

I25TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
COLONEL  GEORGE  L.  WTILLARD 
CAPT.  EPHRAIM  WOOD 

I26TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
COLONEL  ELIAKIM  SHERRILL 
CAPT.  ISAAC  SHIMER 
CAPT.  ORIN  J.  HERENDEEN 
CAPT.  CHARLES  M.  WHEELER 
LIEUT.  JACOB  SHERMAN 
LIEUT.  RUFUS  P.  HOLMES 


214 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


I34TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  HENRY  I.  PALMER 
LIEUT.  Lucius  MEAD 


I37TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
CAPT.  OSCAR  C.  WILLIAMS 
CAPT.  JOSEPH  H.  GREGG 
LIEUT.  JOHN  H.  VAN  EMBURGH 
LIEUT.  HENRY  G.  HALLETT 


I40TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
COLONEL  PATRICK  H.  O'RoRKE 
LIEUT.  CHARLES  P.  KLEIN 
LIEUT.  HUGH  McGRAw 


I47TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  WILLIAM  E.  SCHENCK 
LIEUT.  DAVID   G.  VAN  DUSEN 
LIEUT.  SYLVESTER  J.  TAYLOR 
LIEUT.  GUILFORD  D.  MACE 
LIEUT.  DANIEL  McAssY 

I57TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 
LIEUT.  COLONEL  GEORGE  ARROWSMITH 
CAPT.  JASON  K.  BACKUS 
CAPT.  HARRISON  FRANK 
CAPT.  GEORGE  A.  ADAMS 
LIEUT.  JOSEPH  F.  HEENEY 
LIEUT.  RANDALL  D.  LOWER 

IST  U.  S.  SHARPSHOOTERS 
CAPT.  CHARLES  D.  MCLEAN 


"  Nor  shall  their  glory  be  forgot 
While  Fame  her  record  keeps' 


ROLL  OF  HONOR. 


Names  of  Soldiers  in  New  York  Regiments  and  Batteries  Who 

were  Killed  or  Mortally  Wounded  at  the  Battle 

of  Gettysburg,  July  i,  2,  3,  1863. 


FROM    THE    REGIMENTAL  PAY-ROLLS  IN  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  SECOND  AUDITOR,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C., 

THE    MUSTER-OUT    ROLLS     IN     THE   ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S     OFFICE,    ALBANY,    N.    Y., 

AND  THE    LIST    OF  BURIALS  IN  THE  GETTYSBURG  NATIONAL  CEMETERY. 


GENERAL    OFFICERS. 

ZOOK,  SAMUEL  K.,  BRIGADIER         30  BRIG.,  IST  Div.,  20  A.  C. 

WEED,  STEPHEN  H.,         BRIGADIER         30  BRIG.,  2D  Div.,  5x11  A.  C. 

10TH  BATTALION  INFANTRY.     (4  Cos.) 

Name.  Rank.  Co.  Name.  Rank.  Co. 

McCormick,  John  C Private ....   D   McGill,  David Private  ....   A 

39TH  BATTALION  INFANTRY.     (4  Cos.) 

Boni,  Paolo/. ....    Private.    ...  C   Reinbold,  Peter -Sergeant...  B 

Bonin,  George Sergeant ...  A   Kauth,  Gottleib Private  ....  A 

Doenecke,  William Private B    Schumacher,  George  ...  .Private B 

Gessman,  Frederick Private  v...  A   Schultz,  George Corporal...  B 

Heimbrucher,  Ignatz. .  .  .Private B   Schwilzer,  Conrad Private....  D 

Heinzen,  Frederick.    ...Private....  A   Schaefer,  George Private...  A 

Hoegner,  Heinrich Private    ...  A   Van,  Joseph Private  ....  A 

Kammerer,  Clement  ...  .Private  ....  B   Wagner,  Adolph Lieutenant.  C 

Kern,  Thomas Corporal  ...  C   Werner,  Michael Private  ....  B 

McCort,  William Private C   Witte,  Bernhard Private D 

Metzler,  Louis Private  ....  A   Wuersch,  Joseph Private  ....  D 

Muller,  Emil Private C   Yunkers,  John Private C 

Pausb    Theodor Lieutenant.  G 


2l6 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


40TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Co. 


Angel,  Charles  H Private  . . . 

Atkins,  Benjamin  F Sergeant .  . , 

Becker,  George Private 

Cannilliard,  Joseph Sergeant  .. . 

Couillon,  Henri Private 

Ernst,  Charles Sergeant  . . . 

Evers,  John* Private     . . 

Fleming,  George Private. 

Freer,  Simon Private  . . . 

Gardner,  Henry  C Private 

Germain,  Jules Private 

Gladsor,  Walter Sergeant . . . 

Gschwind,  John Private 

Harding,  Michael Private  — 

Henschel,  Harris Private 

Horrigan,  Timothy  ....  .Private 

Hughes,  Reese Private. . . . 

Johnson,  William  H.  H.. Lieutenant, 


Name. 


Rank.  Co. 

B  Kelly,  Timothy Private D 

F  Knappman,  Andrew  ....  Private  ....  A 

A  Lloyd,  George Private  ....  E 

B  Lobier,  Frederick  C Corporal...  I 

A  Longworth,  Julius Sergeant...  B 

B  Moffat,  James  A Private D 

I  O'Brien,  Thomas Private  ....  C 

B  O'Harra,  Daniel Private G 

F  Perkins,  Andrew Private K 

C  Pfeiff er,  Jacob Private E 

E  Royal,  Frank Private  ....  F 

K  Sickerson,  John Private  ....  E 

A  Slattery,  Jeremiah  D. ..  .Sergeant  ...  C 

C  Standinger,  Otto Private E 

E  Stable,  Frank Private  ...  A 

F  Steltz,  Samuel   Corporal .  . .  F 

I  Sweeny,  Francis Private  ....  D 

G  Walker,  Augustus Private  ....  H 


41sT  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Banholzer,  Constantin  . .  Private I 

Beerman,  Rudolph Private....  E 

Blenksheim,  Frederick.  .Sergeant ...  A 

Bohndorff ,  Herman Private I 

Bellinger,  Henry  S Corporal. . .  E 

Capallo,  Peter Private I 

Cohen,  Isaac Private  ....  A 

Dehmel,  Herman Private....  E 

Dierschow,  John Private ....  B 

Durm,  John Sergeant . . .  B 

Engel,  Otto  Moritz Private I 


Holzrichter,  Richard. ..  .Private. ...    H 

Klebenspies,  Joseph Private....    E 

Lesser,  Solomon Private I 

Leute,  John Private D 

Mutrack,  Frederick Private I 

Muller,  Henry Private B 

Spitz,  Albert Private H 

Walde,  Conrad Corporal. . .    K 

Wentz,  Frederick Private I 

Winzer,  Reinhold Lieutenant.   A 

Woell,  Frederick Corporal ...    B 


42-D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Barrett,  Daniel .........  Private  . . . 

Barren,  Thomas Private . . . 

Brentzel,  Peter Corporal . . 

Byrne,  William Corporal. . 

Constant,  Derby Corporal  . 

Cuddy,  Michael Sergeant.  . 

Cullen,  James Private  . . . 

Curley,  Thomas Private  . . . 

Fent,  Peter Private    . . 

Flynn,  William Sergeant  . 

James,  Thomas Private  . . . 

McGrann,  Felix Private  . . . 

McLear,  Neal Private . . . 


.   C  McMara,  Patrick Private  ....  E 

.    D  Moore,  Charles Sergeant...  D 

.    I  Murphy,  Hugh Private G 

.    K  O'Shea,  Daniel Private E 

.    D  Paine,  Ambrose  E Private....  F 

.    I  Pepper,  James Private F 

.    F  Riley,  Michael Private G 

.   C  Shultz,  Frederick Corporal...  C 

.    E  Smith,  John Private D 

.    H  Stone,  Christopher Sergeant...  G 

.   A  Tibel,  Frederick Private....  K 

.   F  West,  Peter Private K 

.   A  Wooley,  Henry  C Corporal...  B 


43D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Cotrell,   Joseph Private A    Post,  Albert  N. .  .. 

Gilfillan,  William  H Captain  ...   A 


. .  .Private 


"  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg  ;  no  further  record. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


44TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


217 


Name.  Rank.  Co.  Name.  Rank.  Co. 

Beers,  Peter Private B    Lantz,  John Private K 

Brackett,  John  A Corporal  ..    H   Larrabee,  Lucius  S Captain  ...  B 

Brehle,  Henry Private....   A   Levoy,  Francis  G Private....  F 

Burnham,  Leander  T. .  .  .Private. ...    E    Look,  John Private   ...  A 

Burns,  Robert  C Private A   McElligott,  Richard Corporal...  C 

Byrne,  Theodore  A Private....    I    McGee,  James Private..    .  F 

Casey,  Daniel Private D    Merchant,  Edgar  A Sergeant..  G 

Carpenter,  Charles  H.. .  .Private  ...      I   Munson,  Scott ..Private....  E 

Chafee,  Andrew  J Private E   Nash,  David Private F 

Doing,  John Private B   Norris,  William  N Private  ....  C 

Dunham,  Eugene  L Lieutenant .   D   Simons,  John Private A 

Duryea,  Webster  S Private....   G   Skinner,  Sydney  S Sergeant...  D 

Gauley,  Richard Private  ....   B   Smith,  Chester Private  ....  A 

Goodman,  William  J    ...Corporal...    H    Story,  Cornelius Private....  K 

Griswold,  Francis  M  . . .  .Private  ....  C   Thomas,  Benjamin  N. . .  .Lieutenant.  K 

Hurd,  Allen  J Sergeant .  . .   A   Traver,  Elbert Private  ....  E 

Hunt,  Thomas  H Private A   White,  Jesse Corporal...  G 

Irons,  John  M Private  ....    I   Wolcott,  George  B Private  ....  E 

Kraft,  Joseph Corporal  . .  A 

45TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Barthauer,  William Corporal. . .  D  Roth,  Ferdinand Private ....  E 

Beck,  John  J Private  ....  D  Schrafer,  Peter Private  ....  E 

Faist,  Franz Private  ....  E  Schwarz,  Rudolph Corporal.  . .  B 

Fischer,  Albert Corporal...  C  Schade,  Christian Private....  K 

Langenecker,  Valentine.  Private. ...  D  Schoch,  August ....Private....  K 

Link,  Charles Sergeant...  C  Weitzel,  Friedrich Sergeant...  B 

May,  Everhard   Sergeant...  E  Weissensel,  John  C Corporal...  E 

Milde,  Edward Sergeant...  D  Zimbrich,  Philip Private....  D 

Ploghoft,  John Private E 

52D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Kreiss,  William Private  ....    I   Venuti,  Edward Major - 

Rampmeier,  Frederick  .  .Private  ....    B   Weil   Sigmund Sergeant...    B 

Schraver,  Charles Private ....   K 

54TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Brandau,  Carl Private  . . . .  H   Scherrer,  Johan Private  ....  A 

Michel,   Henry . .    Sergeant  ...    D   Walz,  Henry Private  . . . .  H 

Poss,  Peter Private..,.    F   Willmann,  Henry. ., Sergeant   ..  F 

Schmidt,  Conrad  B Private  . ,  * .   C 

57TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Ambler,  William  J Sergeant    ..  D   Smith,  John   Private D 

Schwartz,  Henry » Private  ....    F   Smith,  David Private I 

58TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Antonieski,  Edward Captain  —   A   Krouse,  Louis Private H 

Deitrich,  Louis Adjutant. .  .     -   Stoldt,  Gustave Captain  H 


218 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


59TH  BATTALION  INFANTRY.     (4  Cos.) 


Name. 

Allen,  Elisha 

Burns,  John 

Cush,  James  P 

Ellenberger,  August  . . . 

Ennoscence,  John 

Gallagher,  Michael  .... 


Rank. 

Private  . , 

Private  . , 
.Sergeant 

Private  . , 

Private  . , 

Private  . , 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Co. 


A  Martin,  James  M Sergeant    ..    B 

A  Pohlman,  William  H Adjutant... 

C  Read,  David Private A 

B  Steinwacher,  Frederick  .Serg.  Major.    - 

A  Thoman,  Max  A Lieut.  Col . . 

A  Wood,  Charles Sergeant  ...    A 


GOTH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Ayres,  Philetus Private 

Clark,  William  W Sergeant  . . . 

Corbett,  Daniel Sergeant  . . . 

Downs,  Hannibal Private     . . . 

Gray,  Charles Sergeant  . . . 

Johnson,  William Private 

Laselle,  John  A Corporal  . . . 

McDonald,  Peter Corporal  .. . 

McDowell,  Henry Corporal  . . . 


H  Mead,  Hiram Private  . . . 

D  Miller,  William Corporal  . . 

B  Murphy,  William Private  ... 

F  Norton,  John Private  . .  . 

I  Stanley,  Myron  D Lieutenant 

B  Stephenson,  Philo Corporal  . . 

C  Shepard,  Orin Private  .  , . 

I  Townsend,  Amasa  R. . .  .Corporal  .. 

G  Van  Tassell,  Edward  . .  .Private  .  - . 


G 
G 

I 
C 
E 
A 
A 

I 
C 


61&T  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Carney,  James Corporal  . . .  H  Garland,  Franklin  K . . . .  Lieutenant 

Casper,  Nicholas    Private     ...     I  Lyons,  Patrick Corporal.. 

Cole,  Franklin Private G  Martin,  Patrick Private  . . . 

Conners,  Thomas Private K  Roberts,  Adrian  H Sergeant  .  . 

Cornwall,  Leonard Private....    I  Scott,  Stephen  A Corporal.. 

Cross,  William  H ,  Private G  Slaven,  John Private  . . . 

Daley,  Edward Private E  Tieckler,  Henry Private G 


A 
K 
H 
E 
G 
I 


62D   REGIMENT   INFANTRY. 
.Private  ...:  K   Ralph,  Alfred    . 


,  Private 


A 


63D   BATTALION  INFANTRY.     (2  Cos.) 


Eagan,  Edward Private 

Hogan,  Charles Private 

Kenny,  Patrick Private 

Manley,  Timothy Private 


B  McGeehan,  Patrick*. ..  .Private A 

A  O'Brien,  John Private  ....  A 

A  Sheehan,  Michael Private  ....  B 

A  Walsh,  Peter Private A 


64-TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Babcock,  Willis  G Lieutenant  . 

Barnes,  Orrin Private 

Burns,  Charles  H Private 

Cadwell,  Chester  A Private 

Carpenter,  Levi Private 

Dudley,  Wentworth  E  .  . .  Corporal  . . . 
Dumond,  Horace  K  . . .  .Corporal  .. . 

Dye,  Alfred  W Private 

Fuller,  Henry  V Captain 

Gardner,  Clayton  A Private 

Howard,  Francis  W Private 

Kenno,  Morris Private  —  . 


G   Lane,  Alfred Private 


B 


I  Lewis,  Alfred  H Lieutenant  .  D 

G  Marshall,  George  W Private G 

E  Ormsby,  Rowland  L.... Private  ....  G 

D  Owen,  William  E Private E 

E  Ray,  James,  Jr Private  . . . .  D 

E  Salisbury,  John  : Private  ....    E 

K  Shay,  Oscar  E Private  ....   G 

F  Smith,  George  S Corporal  ...     I 

A  Stone,  Edmund,  Jr Corporal...    D 

D  Thurber,  Ira  S Lieutenant  .    I 

K 


*  "  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg  ;  no  further  record." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG, 


219 


GOTH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Burns,  Lafayette Private  ....     I   O'Brien,  John Private 

Clark,  John Corporal  ...    B    Rowan,  William Private 

66-TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Bonnet,  Caspar Private  ....  C   Joloph,  James  F ,  Private 

Hough,  William Corporal  ...  F    Munn,  Elijah  F Captain 

Ince,  George  H Captain  A   Straus,  Jacob Private 

James,  William Private     ...  F 

68xH   REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Anderholt,  Paul Private 

Bensel,  Johann Private 

Binder,  Ferdinand Sergeant    . 

Bickel,  Gottlieb Private  .  . . 

Bredig,  Eugene* Private  . . . 

Friedrich,  Otto Captain . . . 

Hoffman,  John   Private  . . . 


H  Kendewater,  David Private  . 

D  Knoeckel,  Friedrich*  ..  .Private  . 

A  Moser,  Mathias Private  . 

A  Muller,  Carl Private  . 

F  Ritter,  William Sergeant 

I  Schumacher,  William  . .  .Corporal 
E 


69TH   BATTALION  INFANTRY.      (2  Cos.)f 
Doyle,  Dennis Corporal    ..   A   Mahoney    Daniel Private 


Mahoney,  Michael Private 


A 


70xH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Ackerman,  William  H. . .  Private 

Buggins,  George Private 

Brookmeyer,  William  .  .  .  Private 

Campbell,  Andrew Private     ... 

Carlin,  Sylvin  A Private  . . . 

Clegg,  James Private  . . . 

Croft,  Samuel  W Sergeant  . .  , 

Crowley,  Patrick Private 

Decker,  Isaac  L Sergeant  .  . 

Douglas,  George  W Private  . . . 

Dunnell,  Henry  C Private  . . . 

Ellison,  Isaac Private  . . . 

Goulding,  Sydney  A  ....Corporal  .. 

Higgins,  John Private 

Jones,  Thornton Private  — 

Joliff,  John Private  . . . 

Kessler,  John  W Private  . . . 

Lambert,  Samuel Corporal  .. , 

McGraw,  Matthew Corporal  . . 

McKenna,  John Private  . . . 


I  Miner,  Charles  W 

I  Montgomery,  James  . . . 

E  Massey,  Joseph 

I  Myers,  Samuel  C 

K  Nolan,  John 

I  O'Connor,  Robert 

E  Piper,  William  H 

G  Rickley,  John  E 

F  Robb,  John 

I  Robinson,  George 

D  Ryan,  Michael  L 

A  Senior,  Thomas  ........ 

A  Smith,  Thomas 

G  Solomon,  Louis  ........ 

E  Steinberg,  Henry 

F  Stowell,  Francis  M 

D  Tommy,  John 

F  Townley,  William  H   . . . 

E  Ulch,  August* 

C  Van  Vladderacken,  H.  P. 


Private  . 
Private  . , 
Private  . 
Corporal 
Private  . , 
Private  . , 
Private     , 
Private  . 
Private  . 
Captain  . . 
Private  , 
Private  . 
Private  . 
Corporal 
Private  . 
Private  . 
Corporal 
Sergeant 
Private  . , 
Sergeant 


71sr  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Arms,  Alfred  G Corporal  . . . 

Bellenbeck,  Phillip Private  .... 

Battelle,  Joseph Sergeant... 

Brady,  James Private 

Canty,  Daniel Private  .... 

Cozine,  Abraham Private  .... 

Estes,  Andrew  W Lieutenant  . 

Forsyth,  George   Corporal    .. 

Gorman,  Charles Private  .... 


H  Haddock,  James  C Private  . 

C  Hardenburg,  George ....  Private  . 

A  Holland,  David Private  . 

A  Kearns,  Timothy Private  . 

C  King,  Thomas Sergeant 

B  Marion,  William Private  . 

H  Olvaney,  Patrick Private  . 

A  Schuler,  Conrad ...Corporal 

E  Thompson,  Samuel Corporal 


Co. 

.  H 
.    I 


G 
G 
E 


I 

F 
B 
A 
B 
B 


B 


,.   C 

.  E 
.  H 

..  F 
.  K 
.  C 
.  H 

,.  D 
.  K 
.  H 
.  C 

,.  C 
.  K 
.  B 
.  B 
.  D 

..  D 
.  F 
.  D 
.  A 


H 
H 
F 
A 
E 
D 
A 
D 
H 


*  "  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg ;  no  further  record." 

t  The  report  made  by  this  battalion  at  the  close  of  the  battle  gives  the  names  of  five  men  as  killed  (see  casualty 
returns,  p.    141)  ;  but  a  memorandum  on  the  next  monthly  return  shows  that  this  was  an  error. 


22O 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


72D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Burke,  Daniel  L Sergeant  . . 

Colyer,  John Private  . . . 

Foss,  Charles  A Lieutenant 

Gormelly,  Michael Private  . . . 

Hampton,  Joseph Private  — 

Hankin,  George  F Private  . . . 

Heishar,  John Private  . . . 

Hirsche,  Gottlieb Private  . . . 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank.  Co, 

E  Holland,  Thomas .Private....  E 

K  Homer,  Elliott  A Private B 

D  Kennish,  Peter Corporal...  G 

E  Lovell,  William  H Private B 

A  Platte,  Frederick Private E 

B  Strain,  Isaac  C Private     ...  G 

H  Schwiemer,  Frederick. .  .Private E 

A 


73D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Anderson,  George Corporal  . . . 

Blass,  Adolph Sergeant  . . . 

Brown,  William  M Private  .... 

Brown,  John  J Sergeant    . . 

Cavello,  Charles Corporal  . . . 

Coniff,  John  J Sergeant    . . 

Cowney,  John Private  .... 

Curran,  John Private     ... 

Davis,  George*     Private  .... 

Dennen,  George  P Lieutenant  . 

Devlin,  Edward Private  .... 

Duane,  Patrick Private  .... 

Farrell,  Hamilton Private  .... 

Farewell,  Peter Private  .... 

Flanigan,  Patrick Private  .... 

Gallagher,  Michael Private  .... 

Harvey,  Francis Corporal  . . . 

Herbert,  William  L Lieutenant  . 

Higgins,  Martin  E Lieutenant  . 

Hipp,  Frederick   Private 

Holmes,  Edward Private  .... 

Hollingsworth,  SylvesterPrivate  — . 

Keegan,  Thomas  F Private 

Ketchner,  John Private  .... 

Lacy,  William Private  .... 

Lally,  Thomas Sergeant  . . . 

Lynch,  Patrick Private  .... 


B   Malloy,  Wilson  M Private C 

B    Marksman,  James Lieutenant.  K 

G   McAdam,  John Private G 

C   McAvoy,  James Private  . . . .  G 

D   McCormick,  Andrew. ..  .Private  ....  H 

K   McGlare,  George Sergeant...  F 

B    Mclntyre,  James  D Private  . . . .  G 

K   Menzer,  Herman Private  . . . .  H 

K   Murphy,  John Sergeant...  B 

C   O'Neil,  James Private...  G 

A   Pfeiffer,  Valentine. Sergeant...  F 

C   Renton,  John Sergeant ...  C 

K   Reynolds,  Levi Private  ....  F 

D   Salmon,  John Private D 

B   Sangerbusch,  F.  W Private C 

G   Schoolhouse,  Henry  ...  .Private  ....  B 

G   Secor,  George Private  ....  F 

F   Shine,  Eugene  C Captain....  F 

E   Shondorf,  Adam Private  . . . .  H 

C   Smith,  Daniel Private  . . . ,  K 

F   Sullivan,  Patrick  T Sergeant K 

F   Titsworth,  James Private  ....  D 

B   Trainor,  James Private  . . . .  D 

D   Trainor,  Peter Private  ....  D 

H   Trihy,   Edmund Private C 

K  Weed,  John  C Private B 

D  Wilson,  Jacob Private     ...  I 


74TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Burton,  Florence Private 

Burke,  Henry Corporal  .. . 

Casey,  John Private  — 

Chester,  William  H Captain  . .. 

Falls,  George  F Private  — 

Gacon,  Alexander Sergeant  . . 

Goodwin,  William Private  . . . 

Harpell,  Seth Private  . . . 

Hess,  Edwin  A Private  . . . 

Johnson,  Robert Sergeant  .. 


B  Knight,  Washington  ....  Sergeant  ...    C 

B  Knox,  John Sergeant  . . .   K 

H  Lehman,  Cyrus  A Corporal...    F 

G  May  wood,  David Private  ....   E 

D  McLaughlin,  John Corporal  ...   A 

B  McMullen,  John  W Corporal...   A 

C  Sevena,  George Corporal...   A 

C  Slawson,  Reuben Private  ....    E 

F  Smith,  Charles  D Private C 

H  Valentine,  Oliver Corporal  ...    C 


"Missing  in  action  ai  Gettysburg  ;  no  further  record." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


221 


76TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.  Rank. 

Blackman,  Lewis Private  ... 

Bosworth,  George Private  . . . 

Bradley,  Daniel Corporal  . . 

Brierly,  John Private  . . . 

Bush,  James  B Private  . . . 

Carpenter,  Benjamin  F.  .Corporal  .. 

Card,  James  J Private  . . . 

Chapman,  Alfred Corporal  . . 

Chapman,  Francis  A Private  . . . 

Cogswell,  Amos . .  Corporal  . . 

Colvin,  Thomas  H   Private 

Cranston,  William  H. .  .  .Private  . . . 

Dawson,  John  M Private  . . . 

Dunn,  Thomas* ...  Corporal  . . 

Edwards,  James Private  . . . 

Efner,  Erastus  J Sergeant  . . 

Everett,  Robert  B Captain . .  . 

Fox,  William  C Private  . .  . 

Gay,  Franklin  L Sergeant  . . 

Gilbert,  Hiram Private  . . . 

Greason,  Edward Private  . . . 

Grover,  Andrew  J Major 

Hammond,  James  H  . . .  .Corporal  . . 

Holden,  Benjamin  F Corporal  .. 

Howell,  Hannibal Private  . . . 

Hyde,  Charles  A Private  . .  . 


Co.  Name.  Rank.  Co. 

.  H   Johnston,  Anson  M.  N..  Private B 

.  H    Keeler,  Philip Lieutenant..  G 

.  C   Lamphier,  George  W. ..  .Private  ....  E 

.  A   Lynes,  David Private  ....  I 

.  E    Martin,  Thomas Sergt.  Major  - 

.  A   Merrick,  Chapin  W.    ...Corporal...  G 

.  F   Noxon,  Robert  G Lieutenant.  E 

.  K   Persons,  Charles  E Private  ...  E 

.  K   Pooler,  William  L Private G 

.  F   Powell,  William  E Private K 

.  D    Pratt,  Charles  F Private A 

.  A   Scrivner,  Lyman Corporal  ...  G 

.  H   Seeber,  John  W Private  ....  A 

.  A   Smith,  Patrick Private F 

.  A   Smith,  Herman  D Corporal...  A 

I    Spencer,  Samuel  G  . .  . .  .Private  ....  D 

.  E    Stewart,  Horace  G Private     ...  D 

.  A   Story,  Robert Captain B 

.  G   Tompkins,  AVilliam Private  ....  B 

.  F   Torango,  Louis ,  Private  —  .  E 

.  B    Tousley,  Lorenzo Private  ....  C 

-  Weaver,  Henry  D     ....   Corporal  ...  C 

.  I   Wood,  Walter  B Sergeant...  E 

.  ¥   Wood,  John Private     ...  B 

.  C   Young,  Uriah Private  ....  I 

B 


78xH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Bennett,  Peter Private  ....    B   Keyes,  William  H Private  . 

Clark,  Frederick  D Private K   Marsh,  William  C Private  . 

Durbin,  Frederick Sergeant  ...     I    Trudell,  Alfred Private  . 

Dawson,  Thomas Private  ....   A 

SOxH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY  (20TH  N.  Y.  S.  M.). 


Ackert,  George  A Private  ....    C 

Angevine,  James  E Corporal  . . .  H 

Arnold,  Ethan  A Private H 

Babcock,  George  H Private  ....    E 

Baldwin,  Ambrose  N . . . .  Captain  ....   K 
Brankstone,  George  W.  .Lieutenant  .  E 

Bush,  Duane  S Private  ....   A 

Cogan,  Edward     Private  ....    C 

Collier,  Albert Private D 

Corbin,  Joseph  S Captain F 

Craig,  James Sergeant  ...    C 

Crooks,  Thomas  - Private  ....    F 

Decker,  Minard Sergeant  . .  .  K 

Decker,  Lucius  H Sergeant  . . .   G 

Decker,  Isaiah Sergeant  ...    E 

DeGraff,  Eli  A Corporal  . . .  H 

Flanders,  Squire Private  ....     I 

Halleck,  James  L Private  . .    .   G 

Hamlin,  DeWitt  C Private  ...     A 

Higgins,  Ebbin Private  .  . . ,   D 


Hyatt,  Thomas Private  . 

Irwin,  Henry  O Private  . 

Lee,  Francis  J Private  . 

Leonard,  Joseph  ........  Corporal 

Luft,  John Private  . 

McClellan,  Luther  W  . .  .Sergeant 

Pierce,  Ansel  S Private  . 

Roosa,  Ephraim Private 

Sleight,  Franklin  C Private  . 

Southard,  Nelson Private  . 

Swart,  Abrani  W Corporal 

Tice,  Alexander  D   Private  . 

Tracy,  John Private  . 

Treat,  Amos  C    Private  . 

Tyler,  Walter  S Corporal 

Van  Gorder,  Leonard. .  .Private  . 
Van  Leuven,  Reuben  C.  Private  . 
Van  Steenbergh,  Cons'nePrivate 
WTheeler,  Theodore Corporal 


I 
E 
A 

I 
F 
D 
H 
B 
A 
K 

I 
E 

I 

D 
C 
E 
D 
C 
A 


*  "  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg ;   no  further  record." 


222 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.  Rank. 

Ahearn,  Thomas Sergeant  . . . 

Armstrong,  Robert Private  .... 

Blanck,  Ethan  S Private 

Boyd,  Thomas  J Private  .... 

Broudie,  John Sergeant  . . . 

Burton,  John Private 

Byrnes,   Matthew Private     . . . 

Clifford,  Michael Private  .... 

Conway,  William v  Private  .... 

Capper,  John Private  .... 

Corcoran,  Michael Private  .... 

Cranston,  John Lieutenant  . 

Dalgleish,  George Corporal  . . . 

Diemar,  John  H Private     ... 

Devine,  Thomas Sergeant  . . . 

Elliott,  Benjamin  F Sergeant  . . . 

Elliott,  Philip Private 

Farrington,  Patrick Sergeant  . . . 

Fore,  Robert Private  .... 

Gallagher,  James Private  .... 

Gray,  James  R .Private  .... 

Hoban,  Thomas Private  .... 

Hoyt,  Jonah  C   Captain 

Hoykas,  Nicholas Private  .... 

Hurley,  Thomas Corporal  . . . 

Huston,  James Lieut.  Col  .. 

Irving,  Henry Private  .... 

Irwin,  James Sergeant  . . . 

Johnston,  Joseph Private  .... 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank.  Co. 

H   Johnston, David  R Corporal...     I 

A   Kelly,  Luke Corporal  ...    F 

H    King,  John Private  . .  .  .   K 

H    Lappin,  Patrick Private  . . . .  H 

H    Larkin,  John Sergeant  . .  .  K 

D   Lee,  Lyman  H Sergeant  ...    B 

C   Lockman,  Isaac    Private  ....   A 

I    McClench,  Edward Corporal...   D 

K   McDonald,  John  II Lieutenant.   E 

E    McDonald,  Patrick Corporal  ..  .  H 

G    Meehan,  James Private  . . . ,  H 

F    Miller,  Harlan Private  ....    F 

K    Murphy,  Thomas Private  ....    F 

F    Murray,  Benjamin Corporal...   K 

D    O'Brien,  John Corporal    ..H 

F  Pettingill,  George  A.... Private  ....   G 

K   Schmidt,  Conrad Private  . .  . .   G 

G   See,  Isaac  S Sergeant  .    .   B 

A   Sharrott,  Edward  M Corporal  ...    A 

F   Sheridan,  Richard Corporal  ...    E 

C   Shuart,  Christian  A Private  . . . .  H 

E    Sprague,  George  W Private  . . . .  G 

B    Stewart,  William  M Private C 

C    Stupp,  Peter Private  ....     I 

G   Tennison,  John Private  . . . .  K 

Titterington,  Richard.  ..  Private  ....    G 

F   Ward,  James  H Private I 

E    Williams,  Henry Private  ....    F 

F   Wilson,  John  B Sergeant  ...    C 


83D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Burns,  Patrick Private  . . . .  H  Robbins,  William  H Private 

Clark,  Charles  A..  ....    .Lieutenant  .   B  Westervelt,  Francis Private 

Curry,  Henry  J Sergeant  ...    L  Zimmerman,  Dominick   .Private 

Quirk,  Thomas  W Captain A 


84TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Atkin,  George  H Private  . . . 

Carleton,  Nathaniel  E... Sergeant  .. 

Chapin,  Albert  N Private  ... 

Conklin,  Charles  E Sergeant  . . 

Douglas,  George  A Private  . . . 

Egolf,  William  A Corporal  . . 

Farrell,  Thomas Private  . . . 

Forrester,  George  W   . .  .Corporal  .. 
Griffiths,  Frederick  H.  .  .Corporal  .. 

Isler,  Ludwig Private  . . . 

Ivers,  James Private  . . . 

Larkin,  Washington  ....Private  .. 
McConnell,  George    ....Private  ... 


.   D   McLarty,  John Private F 

.    E    Millard,  William  S Private I 

.    C   Morley,  John     Private B 

.   K    Myers,  John  F.,  Jr Private  . .  .  .  H 

.    F   Pendrell,  Albert Corporal...  C 

.    E    Roberts,  Erastus  B Private  ....  B 

.    B    Ten  Eyck,  Da.vid Private  ....  B 

.    C    Thurston,  Robert  P Private  ....  E 

.    A  Walton,  Joseph    Private  . . . .  H 

.   K  Webber,  Charles  F Private  ....  A 

.   A   Woods,  Curtis  H Private B 

.  B   WTright,  Frederick  E.... Private  ....  B 
I 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


22' 


86TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.  Rank. 

Blackman,  John  M Private  . 

Bovee,  Melvin  B Corporal 

Brown,  James  E Corporal 

Carrigan,  John Private  . 

Everett,  Jeremiah Private  . 

Fisk,  Jabez  B Private  . 

Haseltine,  Hyman Private  . 

Keller,  Francis Private  . 

Lanning,  Robert Private  . 

Palmer,  Archibald  C. . .  .Private  . 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank.  Co. 

I  Platt,  Legrand Private B 

A  Popple,  John Private  ....  F 

F  Ross,  Ira  W Private B 

I  Stearns,  Calvin  F Private  ....  D 

H  Stewart,  William  L Private K 

K  Taylor,  Jerome Private  ....  B 

K  Thompson,  Elbridge  G. . Private  ....  G 

A  Tremain,  John  A Corporal  ...  F 

K  Warner,  John  N Captain  . . .  .  K 

I  Winship,  Nehemiah  W. .  .Corporal  .. .  K 


88TH  BATTALION  INFANTRY.     (2  Cos.) 

Ferry,  John Private  ....    B    McBride,  James  H Private  ....    A 

Green,  John Private B    McGauley,  Owen* Corporal  ...    B 

McClelland,  William Adjutant ...     -   Small,  John Private B 


94TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Bastian,  William* Private  . . 

Cooney,  James* Corporal. 

Dickson,  Albert  E Private  . . 

Dolan,  James Private  . . 

Donohue,  Michael* Private  . . 

Fuller,  Benzette Private  . . 

Glaire,  John,  Jr Private  . . 

Hennessy,  Lawrence   . .  .Sergeant  . 


H  Mclntyre,  William  L. ...Private C 

H  McKendry,  William  ....Private  ....  E 

B  Miner,  Lemon  T.* Private H 

G  Ratigan,  James Private  ....  E 

D  Saunders,  Henry Sergeant  ...  C 

K  Stratton,  John Sergeant  ...  A 

D  Wydner,  William  H Private K 

F 


95TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Ackerman,  William  E. .  .Corporal 

Alexander,  Henry Corporal 

Carter,  John  B    Corporal 

Connolly,  Patrick Private  . 


F  Lang,  John Private  . 

K  McShean,  Andrew Private  . 

H  Phillips,  John  H  , Private  . 

I  Smith,  William  G Corporal 


Jell,  Frederick.. Sergeant...     I   Vores,  Charles* Sergeant 

Jones,   Elihu Private  ....    F 


97TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Aman,  Jacob Private  . . . .  H    Morrin,  William  J Lieutenant 

Avery,  Alfred  T Private  .... 

Benhamer,  Peter Private  . . . 

Brown,  James Corporal  . . 

Cady,  Edwin   Private 

Cady,  Rush  P Lieutenant 

Darling,  Francis Private  .  .  . 

Fical,  Nathan Private  . . . 

Kautch,  John Corporal  . . 


A 

E  Munson,  Frederick  E. .  .Sergeant.  ..   D 

H    Reese,  Lloyd Private  ....   A 

B   Sherman,  Alfred  T Private  ....    E 

K   Sherman,  Charles Corporal  ...    C 

K   Stiles,  James  H Lieutenant  .  D 

F   Townsend,  Lyman Private  ....    F 

F   Williams,  Richard  O Private B 

H 


*  "  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg  ;  no  further  record." 


224 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 
102D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Bowie,  James Private 

Brush,  Van  Ran Private 

Keogh,  James Private 


Co.  Name. 

I   Mead,  John 

C   Rand,  William  W 
G   Upham,  Josiah  V. 


Rank. 


.Captain  . 
,  Private  . , 
.Adjutant. 


Co 

E 

E 


104TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Abbey,  Henry  L Private 

Barnes,  Edwin  C Private 

Buckingham,  Maurice  ..Sergeant  ... 

Burgess,  Horace Private  .... 

Curtis,  Thomas  J Sergeant  . . . 

Davis,  William  L Private     . . . 

Fisher,  Charles Private  .... 

Fuller,  Peter  F Private 

Galusha,  Reuben  C Private 

Giles,  James Private  .... 

Harrington,  Truman ....  Private  .... 

Hill,  John Private 

Husson,  William Private     ... 

Johnston,  Thomas Lieutenant  . 

Lifflith,  Jose Sergeant  . . . 

Lewis,  Stephen  W Private 


C  Lewis,  Samuel  S Private  . . . .  D 

C  Lodwick,  John   Private  ....    B 

C  Lohrnes,  Atwater Private  .  .  . .   K 

D  Mix,  Alonzo  F Private  ....    B 

A  O'Keefe,  Owen Sergeant  . . .  H 

A  Pecktil,  Alonzo  M Private  . . .  .  K 

I  Pennock,  Nelson Private  ....    E 

B  Perry,  Orville  O Private  .  . . .   G 

K  Roberts,  John  E Sergeant  . . .   G 

I  Runyan,  John Private  . . .  .   D 

B  Shea,  William  H Sergeant  ...     I 

F  Tighe,  James Private H 

F  Veazey,  Warner Private  ....    C 

D  Wells,  John  P Private E 

D  Woodruff,  William Private A 

B 


107TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 
Van  Dyck,  John Private 


K 


108TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Amiet,  Carl  V .Lieutenant 

Card,  Dayton  T Lieutenant 

Cassidy,  John Private  . . . 

Comstock,  Henry Private  . . . 

Proft,  Ralph Corporal  . . 

Deicenroth,  Frank Private  . . . 

Englert,  Marx Private  . . . 

Evans,  Robert Lieutenant 


I  Fitzner,  John Private F 

H  Gomm,  Thomas Sergeant  ...  C 

D  Hof er,  John Private A 

F  Le  Clear,  Charles  P Private E 

C  O'Halloran,  Michael Private  A 

A  Rhoades,  Henry Private  ....  B 

I  Rinker,  John Private A 

C  Senger,  John Corporal  ...  I 

F 


Fairchild,  William Corporal  . . .  D   Welch,  Maurice Sergeant 

Feary,  George  M Private  ....   B 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


225 


lllTH  REGIMENT. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Allen,  James Private  .... 

Allen,  Elisha Private 

Ayers,  Charles  F Private 

Bartholomew,  D.  D Private  .... 

Bailey,  John  E Private  .... 

Bemis,  George  W Private  . . . 

Bigelow,  Jeremiah Corporal  . . . 

Bothwell,  William  S  . . .  .Corporal  . . . 

Brown,  Bartlett Private  .... 

Brown,  Elbert Private  .... 

Brown,  Silas  W Private 

Brown,  William  E Private  .... 

Burch,  Hiram Private  .... 

Burred,  William  G. Corporal  . . . 

Bump,  James  H Corporal  . . . 

Claxton,  George Private  .... 

Cooper,  Simeon Corporal  . . . 

Cripps,  John Private  .... 

De  Cou,  Samuel  B Private  .... 

Uetrick,  Henry Private  .... 

De  Vos,  Peter Private  .... 

Dean,  Seward Private  .... 

Derby,  Payson  D Corporal  . . . 

Donahue,  Bartholomew. .Private  .... 

Drake,  John  H Lieutenant  . 

Dunning,  John  J Private  .... 

Ferguson,  Alexander. . .  .Private  .... 

Flier,  Abraham,  Sr Private  .... 

Fritz,  Samuel Private  .... 

Fulton,  David Private  .... 

Godfrey,  Merrill Private  .... 

Granger,  Erastus  M Lieutenant  . 

Grinnell,  Edgar Private  .... 

Griswold,  James  H Private  .... 

Gray,  John  G Private  .... 

Halstead,  Samuel  J Corporal  . . . 

Harmon,  Simeon Private  .... 

Hawkins,  Thomas  D . . . .  Private  .... 

Hatfield,  William Private 

Herring,  Luther Private  .... 

Heath,  Andrew  M Private 

Hicks,  Judson  A Sergeant  . . . 

Jaques,  Irving  P Sergt.  Major    - 

Jessup,  Edwin  L Private  ....   A 

Kearin,  Michael Private  ....   D 

Knapp,  David Private  ....     I 

Lawrence,  John  E Sergeant  . . .  H 

Love,  James  H Private  . . . .   G 


Co. 

E 
A 
E 
E 

I 

K 
K 

I 
E 
G 
H 
H 
K 
E 
A 
G 
G 
E 
E 
K 
E 

I 

H 
G 
F 
D 
G 
D 
E 
G 
H 
D 
K 
E 

I 

K 
E 
E 
F 
G 
H 
A 


Name.  Rank.  Co. 

McAfee,  Archibald  G. .  .Corporal  ...  A 

Me  Alpine,  Arthur Private     . . .  G 

McCleary,  George Private     ...  A 

McGillora,  Alexander. .  .Private  ....  G 

Meach,  Hugh Private  ....  F 

Miller,  Alfred  P Sergeant  ...  A 

Morgan,  Joseph Private  . . . .  H 

Myers,  Rufus  S Private  . . . .  K 

Nostrand,  John  B.* Private  . . . .  G 

Parnell,  Edward Private  ....  A 

Pease,  David Private G 

Penoyar,  Ira Sergeant  . . .  D 

Pickard,  George Private  ....  E 

Proseus,  Augustus  W  . .  .Lieutenant  .  E 

Proseus,  Edgar Private  ....  E 

Ritter,  Gustave Private  . . . .  D 

Riley,  Edward  J Private  . . . .  K 

Roe,  Martin  V Private  . . . .  K 

Robinson,  Charles  H... Sergeant  ...  G 

Rose,  Randolph Private  ....  F 

Roberts,  Henry  W Private  ....  E 

Silmser,  Charles Private  . . . .  G 

Smith,  Horace  W Sergeant.   . .  K 

Smith,  Lafayette Private  . . . .  G 

Soden,  Stephen  P Private  ...  A 

Strickland,  Sherman  D.. Private  ....  A 

Taylor,  George Private  . . . .  G 

Thompson,  Hudson Private  ....  I 

Tilden,  William  H Private  ....  A 

Toy,  Thomas Private  ....  G 

Treat,  Albert  W Private H 

Van  Valkenburgh,  A.  L. Corporal  ...  E 

Van  Winkle,  Myron  H . .  Private  ....  E 

Van  Wort,  Benjamin. ..  .Private  ....  K 

Wallace,  Alonzo Private  ....  A 

Wallace,  George  W Private A 

Westbrook,  Martin  V  ...  Private E 

Weeks,  F.  Augustus  . . .  .Corporal  . . .  K 

Welch,  Morris Private  . . . .  H 

Weeden,  Charles Private  . . . .  D 

Whitmore,  William  E. .  . .  Private  ....  E 

AVhitmore,  Emmet  M.. .  .Private     ...  E 

Whitbeck,  Wessel  T Private E 

White,  Harrison ........  Private  ....  K 

Wood,  Henry Private  . . . .  K 

Wood,  Esty  E Private  G 

Worden,  Edwin Private  ....  G 


*  "  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg;  no  further  record." 


226 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


119TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Co. 


Adams,  George Private A 

Austin,  James Private A 

Barton,  William  H Sergeant ....  A 

Bennett,  Elijah* Private K 

Camp,  Henry Corporal . . . .  H 

Carpenter,  Walter Private H 

Clark,  Peter Private K 

Coles,  Jacob , .  Corporal ....  F 

Dilpert,  Gottlieb Private C 

Droeber,   Heinrich Private B 

Dwyer,  William Private A 

Engelhardt,  George  . . .  .Sergeant  . .  .  E 

Friederici,  Julius Sergeant  . .  .  D 

Germer,  Joseph Sergeant  .  .  .  C 

German,  Bernhard Private D 

Haigue,  Samuel Private A 

Halbing,  George Private G 

Harding,  William  H. . .  .Corporal.. .  .  A' 

Harrison,  James Private A 

Hergt,  Otto  W.* Corporal D 

Hesterberg,  William*. .  .Private E 


Name.  Rank.  Co. 

Hinterwald,  Julius Private D 

Hoeger,  Franz Private D 

Hoesch,  Adam Private .....  D 

Hoffman,  Joseph* Private E 

Irving,  Henry Private F 

Junck,  Peter Private E 

Kiefer,  Frederick Private C 

McGiff,  Christopher   ...Private A 

Monaghan,  John Corporal ...   I 

Muller,  Martin* Private E 

Neumerkel,  Edward*. .  .Private C 

Rieger,  Theodore Sergeant D 

Roth,  William Corporal. .  . .  E 

Rothlauf,  George Corporal.    ..  E 

Rasemann,  Matthias ....  Lieutenant . .  G 
Roseville,  Charles  E . . . .  Private .    . . .  H 

Speedling,  John  F   Private H 

Strippel,  George Private E 

Trost,  Emil Lieutenant . .  E 

Trumpelman,  Otto Captain C 

White,  Peter Private F 


120TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Abrams,  William  I Private  . . . 

Barnes,  Josiah  D Corporal  . . 

Barker,  Ayres  G Captain  . . . 

Bell,  William  H Private  . . . 

Bray,  Hilan Corporal  . . 

Burhans,  Abram Private  . . . 

Burhans,  John  R Lieutenant 

Burkins,  Levi* Private  . . . 

Burns,  William Private 

Carle,  Jason Lieutenant 

Christiana,  George Private 

Cornell,  Isaac  N     Private  . . . 

Cockburn,  William  J. . .  .Lieutenant 
Creighton,  Michael  E. .  .Lieutenant 

Curry,  Daniel  D Private  .  .  . 

Dederick,  Francis  W. . .  .Private 

DeWitt,  Andrew  M Corporal  . . . 

Delanoy,  Tames  M Corporal  . . . 

Dubois,  Charles  W Private 

Dumond,  Philander  W.  .Private 

Eighmey,  Miles  N Private 

Felton,  Dennis Corporal  . .  . 

Frieleweh,  Frederick  .  .  .  Lieutenant  . 

Haun,  Stephen Private 

Hendricks,  William  H  .  .Private 
Hollister,  Lansing ......  Captain  


.    A   Hotchkiss,  Orin  W Private F 

.     I    Hulbert,  Jasper Private  . . . .  H 

.   K   Jennings,  Elijah Private  .  .  . .  H 

.    F    Johnson,  William  H Private  ....   G 

.    B   Ketchum,  Edward  H  ...Lieutenant  .  A 

,     I    Kelly,  Edward Private G 

.    I    McCloskey,  Dennis Private  ....   K 

,    B    Myer,   Gilbert Corporal  ...     I 

I    Newkirk,  Manassah Private  ....   G 

.  G   Rose,  William  H Corporal  ...    F 

A   Sheeley,  William Private  ....    E 

K   Slater,  William Private H 

.  H   Smith,  George  L  .......  Sergeant  . .  .    G 

.  H    Snyder,  John  S Sergeant  ...    A 

E   Teetsell,  Solomon Private  . . . .   G 

D    Thompson,  Rufus Private  ...      C 

H    Thompson,  Isaac  L Corporal  ...    C 

I    Tibbals,  George  H Corporal  ...   K 

G    Trudden,  John Private  . .  . .  H 

A   Van  Debogert,  Theodore. Private     ...     I 
I    Van  Demark,  Josiah. . . .  Private  ....    B 

G   Warner,  Justus Private  ....     I 

E   Wheeler,  Truman  H  . . . .  Private  . . . .  K 

D   Whitcomb,  Rush  M Private E 

C    York,  Morris Private     .  .  .    E 

D 


*  "  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg  ;  no  further  record." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


227 


REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name. 


Rank. 


Blake,  Stephen Private  . 

Casey,  Daniel Corporal 

Cain,  John Private  . 

Fanning.  Patrick Private  . 

Hilts,  Hiram  G Corporal 

McCarthy,  Dennis Private  . 

McHale,  Michael Private  . 


Co.  Name. 

B  Parker,  George  S 

G  Sanders,  Carlton 

K  Sidnam,   John 

C  Travis,  John  L 

C  Whitworth,  William  W. 

K  Wickham,  James  W. . . 
H 


Rank. 

Corporal 
.  Private  . 
.Private  . 
Corporal 
Corporal 


Co. 

H 
H 
H 
G 
K 


.Private E 


123D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Bell,  John Private 

Huntington,  Wesley  P. .  .Private 


E   Thayer,  Nelson  A, , 
C   Weer,  Norman  Fox, 


Private K 

, Captain  ....    E 


124TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Allen,  Cornelius  S Private  .... 

Barton,  Walter Private 

Brown,  Milnor Lieutenant  . 

Campbell,  William Private  .... 

Carroll,  John Private  .... 

Cromwell,  James Major 

Corbet,  Thomas Private  .... 

Cox,  William  H ,  .  .Sergeant  . .. 

Dawkins,  William  H  . . . .  Private  .... 

Decker,  Isaac Corporal  . . . 

Drake,  John  D Sergeant  . . . 

Edwards,  Charles Private 

Ellis,  A.  Van  Home  . . .  .Colonel  .... 

Flagg,  Benjamin  F Private 

Gillson,  Isaac  C Private 

Glanz,  John Private  .... 

Harris,  Hezekiah Private 


I  Holland,  Robert  J Private B 

G  Homan,  James  E Private  . . . .  H 

I  Hulburt,  Ambrose  S . . . .  Private  . . . .  K 

G  Knapp,  Orlando  U Corporal...  F 

K  Lamoreaux,  William ...  .Private  ....  B 

-  Lent,  Jacob Corporal  ...  A 

G  Moore,  William Private  ....  I 

H  Moores,  James  B Private  ....  E 

G  Nichols,  Isaac Captain  . .  .  G 

K  Partington,  James Private  ....  I 

F  Pembleton,  James Private  ....  D 

I  Quick,  Amzi  W Private F 

-  Rourke,  James Private  ....  G 

C  Scott,  John Corporal  ...  E 

F  Stephens,  George  H  . . .  .Private  . . . .  K 

B  Storms,  Harrison  H Private  ....  B 

E  Whan,  William Private  I 


228 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


125-TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.  Rank. 

Bereau,  Edward Private  . . . 

Brownell,  Charles     Private  ... 

Carmody,  Bartholomew. Private  ... 

Cornelius,  Abram  > Private  . . . 

Crandell,  Chauncey  J  . . .  Private  . . . 

Cross,  Francis Private  . . . 

Callen,  William  A Sergeant  . . 

Davis,  Henry  J Private  . . . 

Defreest,  John  W Corporal  .. 

Dunham,  Dalnier  W Corporal  . . 

Eagan,  John Private  .  . . 

Eaton,  John  T. Corporal  . . 

Finnegan,  William Sergeant  . . 

Higgins,  William  H Private  . . . 

Hitchins,  George  M Private  . . . 

Hiscox,  Marshall  E Sergeant  . . , 

Horton,  William Private 

Hyde,  Andrew  B Private  ... 

Ives,  Charles  W Private  ! . . . 

Johnson,  James  D Private 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank. 


I    Lappens,  Jr.,  Henry  ....Private  . , 
K   McCoubrey,  James  H.  .. Private  . 

A   Moss,  George  S Sergeant 

G   Raisch,  Jacob Private  . 

K   Rose,  David Private  . 

G   Slemmer,  William  H,... Private  . 

A   Smith,  Lewis Sergeant 

B    Smith,  Marvin Private  . , 

H   Snyder,  Robert Private  . , 

E   Southwick,  William  H. .  .Private  ., 

D   Travis,  Lafayette Private     , 

F   Usher,  A.  B Private  . 

D   Varnum,  Jedediah Private  . , 

B   Vanderpool,  Sylvester  ..Sergeant 

C   Watts,  Robert Private  . 

D   Weber,  Christian Private  . 

G   White,  Chauncey    Private  ., 

D   Willard,  George  L Colonel., 

H   Wood,  Ephraim Captain  . . 

I   Wood,  Morgan  L Corporal 


126i-H  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Adams,  William  H Private     —  K 

Axtell,  William Private A 

Bassett,  Erasmus  E Sergeant  ...  B 

Bailey,  Cornelius  L Corporal  ...  C 

Barnes,  Edward  J Sergeant  ...  E 

Bachman,  Jacob  H Corporal  ...  I 

Blue,  Samuel Private  ....  C 

Boyd,  James  P Corporal  ...  E 

Brodie,  John    Private  . . . .  D 

Burns,  Robert Private  . . . .  H 

Bunce,  Melvin Private B 

Cadmus,  Abram  C   .....  Private  ....  I 

Clark,  Samuel  J Private  ....  F 

Comstock,  Truman  B... Private  ....  D 

Cook,  Henry  P Sergt.  Major  - 

Crandall,  Charles  C Private D 

Cunningham,  Michael  ..Private  ....  E 

Day,  Daniel Private     . . .  G 

Farnsworth,  Charles  H . .  Sergeant  .  . .  G 

Finger,  John  W Private  ....  B 

Garrison,  Mortimer Private  ....  B 

Gaylord,  Charles  W Private B 

Goff,  David  H Sergeant  ...  A 

Grant,  Jonathan  T Private  ....  C 

Harris,  Charles  T Sergeant  ...  C 

Herendeen,  Orin  J Captain  . .  ..  H 

Holmes,  Rufus  P ,  .Lieutenant  .  G 

Hobart,  William  L Private B 

Hollowell,  Joseph  ..... .Private  ....  B 

Hopkins,  Peter  J Private  . . . .  H 

Huson,  James  P Private  ....  B 

Kelly,  George Private  ....  C 

King,  George  C Private  ....  C 


Lewis,  Hosea Private  . . . 

Morgan,  William Private     .  . 

Nelson,  Lester Private  . . . 

Nicholson,  George  H... Private  ... 

Nichols,  Samuel  A Corporal  .. 

Norris,  Elias  A Corporal  . . 

Perry,  Oliver Private 

Phillips,  John  K Private 

Phillips,  Lorenzo Private     . . , 

Poole,  Robert  H Private 

Pursell,  Joshua  B .,.,...  Private 

Raymond,  William Private  . . . 

Saulpaugh,  John  H Private 

Sebring,  Thomas Private  .  . . 

Sherrill,  Eliakim Colonel 

Shimer,  Isaac Captain 

Sherman,  Jacob .Lieutenant 

Sloat,  John  F Private  . . . 

Snelling,  John Private  . . . 

Snyder,  Tyler  J Sergeant  . . 

Stevenson,  James  G Private  . . . 

Stacy,  Theodore  P  .    . .  .Private  . . . 

Stewart,  Wilmer Private  . . . 

Thompson,  John  W Private  . . . 

Turner,  George  W Private     . . 

Tyler,  Edwin  W Sergeant  . . , 

Vaughan,  Elish'a  D  .    ...Private  ... 

Walters,  Charles,  Jr Private  . . . 

Wheeler,  Charles  M Captain  . . . 

Willson,  Henry  W Private  . . . 

Wilson,  Harvey Private  . . . 

Wood,  Hiram  B Corporal  . . 


Co. 

E 
H 

,   C 

,  I 
G 
G 

,  C 
B 
E 
G 
K 
D 
A 
I 

,  G 

I 

K 

H 
K 


D 
I 

K 
H 
B 
B 
E 
E 
E 
A 
C 
B 
E 
I 

F 
E 
E 
F 
G 
G 
H 
C 
E 
E 
D 
C 
I 

K 
D 
E 
D 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


229 


134TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.  Rank. 

Barkhuff,  James  H Private  . . . 

Barry,  Jeremiah Private  . . . 

Bentz,  Christian Sergeant  . . 

Becker,  John  B Private  . . . 

Bieber,  Peter Corporal  . . 

Bice,  Benjamin  B Private  . . . 

Brownlee,  James Private  . . . 

Brown,  Harvey Private  . . . 

Buhler,  John  J Private  . . . 

Coton,  Daniel Private  . . . 

Cater,  James  D Private  . . . 

Chamberlain,  Jesse  P.  .  .Private  . . . 

Chapman,  George Private  . . . 

Cornell,  John Private  .  . . 

Corl,  Robert  C Private  . . . 

Cosgreve,  Charles Private  . . . 

Creighton,  David  W. ..  .Corporal  .. 

Dana,  Philip    Private  . . . 

Dougal,  John  E Private  .  - . 

Douglass,  George  W. ..  .Corporal  .. 

Earl,  Wilber  N Private  . . . 

Ferguson,  James  A Corporal  .. 

Geiser,  Jacob Private  . . . 

Grimm,  John Private     . . 

Glenn,  Henry  'P   Sergeant  . . 

Haner,  David Private  . . . 

Hawkins,  Leroy  M Private 

Hummel,  Ransom  S  . . . .  Private     . . 

Huebner,  William Private  ... 

Hyart,  John  T Private  . . . 

Jennings,  James Private  . . . 

Keller,  Charles Private  . . . 

Lemmer,  Theodore Private  . . . 

Link,  Peter Private  . . . 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank.  Co. 

H  Manchester,  John  A.... Private  ....  C 

E  Martin,  William Private  . . . .  K 

K  Mead,  Lucius r .  ..Lieutenant  .  B 

A  Miles,  Stephen  A Private  ...  B 

K  Nichols,  Nathan Private  ....  I 

A  Palmatier,  Daniel Private  . . . .  G 

G  Palmer,  Peter  S Corporal  ...  A 

C  Palmer,  Henry  I Lieutenant .  I 

K  Peek,  Henry Corporal...  B 

H  Proper,  David  S Private  ....  F 

I  Reagles,  George  M Private  ....  H 

H  Salisbury,  Amasa Private  ....  I 

A  Shellkopf,  John Private K 

H  Scripture,  Nelson  R Private  ....  G 

G  Slater,  William  Private G 

D  Schmidt,  Joseph Private  ....  K 

E  Smith,  Frederick Private  ....  A 

E  Sweet,  Sylvanus Private  . . . .  D 

H  Thomas,  Thurston Private  .....  D 

G  Thomas,  John  B Private....  E 

I  Tolles,  Cicero Private  ....  A 

B  Tolles,  John  A Private A 

K  Trask,  Jacob Sergeant  ...  F 

K  Vaughn,  Robert Corporal...  G 

B  Van  Arnam,  Alonzo  ...  .Corporal  ...  F 
G  Van  Slyke,  Cornelius  . .  .Private  ....  C 
B  Van  Dyke,  Elwood  ....Private  —  C 

G  Van  Zandt,  A.  K Private B 

A  Vrooman,  John  W Private  ....  E 

F  Watson,  John  J Private  . . . .  D 

I  Weidman,  Septimus  ....Private  ....  D 

F  Wilbur,  Hiram Private  —  .  E 

K  Wilbur,  Philip  C Private  . . . .  E 

K 


13GTH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Baker,  Aaron  B Private  . . . 

Barber,  Zack  A Private  . . . 

Blackall,  George Corporal  . . 

Confer,  Daniel  E Private  . . . 

Connor,  Nicholas Private  . . . 

Doran,  James Private  . . . 

Elwell,  Charles  C Private  . . . 

Folinsbee,  John Private  . . . 

Franklin,  William Private  . . . 

Gage,  Elias Private  .  - . 

Gibbs,  George Corporal  . . 

Hannigan,  James. ....  .Sergeant  .. 

Hover,  William Sergeant  . . 


.   B   Hull,  Daniel  V Private G 

.  K   Ikins,  Simeon Private  .  —  K 

.  G   Limerick,  Henry Private  ....    F 

.     I    Mosher,  George  H Private  ....  H 

.    E   McWhorter,  Wm.  H Private B 

.    E   Smith,  Lucian  J Corporal  . . .  G 

.  H    Stout,  Marsena  S Private  ....    F 

.   G   Stowell,  John Private H 

.  H   West,  Arzy Private H 

.   B   Wiggins,  Zelotus  C Private  ....   E 

.    B   Wise,  Solomon  L .Private  ....     I 

.    E   Wood,  Francis  M Private  . . . .  H 

.   G  Youells,  Richard Private B 


230 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


137TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.  Rank. 

Archibald,  Frederick  A. Private  ... 

Besemer,  William Private  . . . 

Boyce,  Franklin  W Corporal  .. 

Brockham,  Jacob  W. ..  .Sergeant  .. 

Brundage,  John  P Private  ... 

Casad,  Jacob  A Private  . . . 

Carmine,  John Private     . . 

Clark,  Benjamin Private  ... 

Clark,  David Private  . . . 

Cole,  William  C Corporal  . . 

Coon,  Admiral  T Private  . . . 

Dodge,  William  N Sergeant  . . 

Dore,  James Private     . . 

English,  Oliver Private  . . . 

Foster,  Wallace Corporal  . . 

Fox,  Charles  F Sergeant  . . , 

Gee,  Josephus Private 

Gregg,  Joseph  H Captain 

Hallett,  Henry  G Lieutenant 

Hill,  Peter Sergeant  . . . 

Johnson,  Henry Private 

Lament,  John Private 

Leipe,  Ira Private 

Loomis,  Elisha Private  . . . 


Co.  Name. 

C  Martin,  Ira,  Jr 

D  Maybee,  George  W.  . . . , 

K  Manning,  Charles 

C  Mullen,  James  H 

C  Nichols,  Horace  W 

I  Pardee,  Mahlon  J 

E  Phelps,  Frederick  M.... 

K  Rorick,  Lyman 

D  Ryant,  Elijah 

G  Rush,  Richard  W 

B  Sirrine,  George  J 

F  Smith,  Samuel  A 

B  Stanton,  Alexander 

A  Strong,  George  W 

C  Sutliff,  William  T 

A  Swift,  Dean  J 

G  Tilbury,  Perley 

I  Travis,  Timothy  . 

E  Van  Emburgh,  John  H. . 

E  VanValkenburgh,Wm.H 

A  Vining,  Lucian  . .    

C  Wesley,  Venable 

G  Wheeler,  William  W 

C  Williams,  Oscar  C 


Rank. 

Private  .  .  . 
.Private  . .  . 
Private  . .  . 
Private  . . . 
Private  . . . 
Private  . . . 
Private  .  .  . 
Private  .  .  . 
Private  . . . 
Private  . . . 
Private1  .  .  . 
Sergeant  . . 
Private  . . . 
Pr-ivate  .  .  . 
Private  . . . 
Corporal  . . 
Private  . . . 
Private  ,  . . 
Lieutenant 
Private  . .  . 
Corporal  . . 
Private  . . . 
Private  . .  . 
Captain . . . 


140TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Allen,  David  W Private 

Allen,  John Private     . . . 

Baker,  Robert Private  .... 

Banta,  Aaron  E Sergeant  . . . 

Blair,  Robert Corporal  . . . 

Bochsler,  Jacob Private  .... 

Buckner,  Philip Private  .... 

Burns,  Michael Private  .... 

Clapp,  James  G Sergeant  . . . 

Curkeek,  Stephen Private  .... 

Eisenberg,  Justus Private  .... 

Evans,  John  A Corporal  . . . 

Feith,  Frederick Private  .... 

Healey,  John Private     ... 

Heindell,  John Corporal  . .  . 

Hoyt,  George Private  .... 

Keenan,  Jeremiah Private  .... 

Klein,  Charles  P Lieutenant  . 

Klauck,  Victor Corporal  .. . 

Kleinhaus,  George ......  Private  .... 


A  Kohler,  Samuel Private  . . . 

C  Larouche,  Joseph Private  .  .  . 

E  Marks,  William Corporal  .. 

E  McGraw,  Hugh Lieutenant 

D  Messinger,  Frank  O Sergeant  .. 

G  Newman,  Ferdinand  ....Private  ... 

D  O'Rorke,  Patrick  H Colonel  ... 

C  Pfeiffer,  George Private  ... 

G  Ross,  Thomas Private  . . . 

E  Ross,  Alexander  H Sergeant.. 

D  Shields,  Robert Private  . . . 

D  Spiesberger,  Charles ....  Private  . . . 

F  Steele,  George  V Private  . . . 

A  Stottle,  Kinzie Private  ... 

C  Strowbridge,  George ....  Private  . . . 

A  Taylor,  Herbert  C Private  . . . 

G  Warner,  William Private  . . . 

I  Webb,  Sanford Private  . . . 

H  Whipple,  Theodore  B. .  .Corporal  .. 

H  Zubler,  John Private  , . . 


Reilly,  John 


145TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 
..Private C   Scott,  Winfield  W 


. . .  Private 


146TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Dennis,  Frank  M Private  . . . .   D   Otis,  Amos Private  . . . 

England,  Robert  W Sergeant  . . .  K   Palmer,  James Private  . .  . 

Hyde,  Ezra  J Private  ....    B   Schneebacher,  Joseph  ..Private  ... 

Miller,  Frederick Private  . . . .  D 


Co. 

K 
D 
C 
B 
F 
F 
C 
I 

K 
A 
I 
D 
C 
G 
B 
A 
B 
C 
B 
G 
A 
D 
F 
G 


G 
H 
E 
K 
I 
G 

H 
E 
E 
C 
D 
A 
A 
E 
A 
E 
G 
A 
B 


C 


K 
D 
F 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


231 


147TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.  Rank. 

Allen,  ST.,  Morgan  L. . .  .Private  . . . 

Amgen,  Louis Private  . . . 

Aylesworth,  Edwin  G. . .  Private  . . . 
Banister,  Thomas  W. . .  .Private  . . . 
Barbarick,  Theophilus.  .Private  ... 

Bartley,  Albert Private  . , . 

Berkley,  Celestine Private  . . . 

Brown,  Orrin Private  . . . 

Burr,  Joseph  W Corporal  . . 

Butler,  John  S Private  . . . 

Carpenter,  Samuel Private  . . . 

Cheever,  Horace  B Private  . .  . 

Church,  Jonathan  B Private  ... 

Clary,  Franklin  B Corporal  . . 

Cole,  Charles  H Private  . . . 

Distin,  Joseph  W Private 

Doyle,  Michael* Sergeant  . . 

Dolbear,  Judson Corporal  .. 

Dowd,  Martin  W Private  . . . 

Edmunds,  William Sergeant  . . , 

Ershmann,  Frederick.  .  .Private  ... 

Green,  John  C Private  . . . 

Guard,  James Private 

Hart,  John Private 

Hanness,  Elias Private 

Hanness,  Degrass Private 

Hale,  Horace  B Private 

Halsey,  Franklin  H Corporal  . . , 

Hall,  Adelbert  P Private  . . . 

Hayden,  David Corporal  . . , 

Hebron,  Harvey Private 

Hinchcliff,  John Sergeant  . . . 

Hutson,  James Private 

Jordan,  Michael Private 

Legault,  Oliver Private 

Lemay,  Joseph Private 

Le  Roy,  Alexander Private 

Le  Sage,  Samuel Private 

Mayo,  Henry  B.* Private 


Co. 


Name. 


Rank.  Co. 

C  Mace,  Guilf ord  D Lieutenant  .  F 

G  Mahoney,  James Private  ....  B 

G  Martin,  William Corporal...  B 

K  Me  Assy,  Daniel Lieutenant.  I 

K  McAmbly,  Alexander. .  .Private  ....  G 

C  McGrath,  Dennis Private I 

G  McGrath,  Duglin Private I 

A  Miller,  Henry Private  ....  B 

C  Mills,  Harlow Private C 

D  Morton,  Henry  F Private F 

E  Mosheizer,  John Private  ....  G 

F  Pettengill,  Asa Private F 

F  Plantz,  Stephen  Private  ....  B 

C  Porter,  Jr.,  Seth ....Private  ...  E 

A  Potter,  Simeon  F Private  ....  F 

D  Potter,  Adelbert  D Private E 

B  Preman,  Louis Private  ....  F 

F  Quick,  Sylvester Private  . . . .  K 

I  Raw,  David Private  . . . .  G 

F  Rife,  Frederick Corporal  . . .  G 

G  Russell,  Decatur Sergeant  . . .  H 

H  Schenck,  William  P Lieutenant  .  D 

A  Sears,  James  F Private  ....  B 

C  Shutts,  Peter Sergeant  . . .  G 

C  Snell,  Chauncey Private  ....  F 

C  Stowell,  Hiram Private  . . . .  G 

C  Stoughtenger,  Joseph. .  .Private  ....  G 

F  Stuyvesant,  Joseph Sergeant  ...  C 

B  Taylor,  Sylvester  J Lieutenant  .  E 

B  Thorp,  Walter  B Private A 

E  Tidd,  W.  Delos Corporal...  B 

K  Tryon,  George  W Private  ....  E 

K  Van  Dusen,  David  G  .  .  .Lieutenant  .  D 

I  Verginia,  Frank Private  ....  A 

A  Warner,  Conrad Sergeant...  B 

A  Welch,  David Private E 

A  Williams,  John Private  ....  E 

A  Zeigler,  Peter Private G 

F 


J.49TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 
Eaton,  Loren  S Private  . . . .   D    Molloy,  Michael Private 


Foster,  Chauncey Private 

Frey,  Jacob Private 


K   Nichols,  John  ..........  Private 

B   Sheppard,  George  W.  ..  .Private 


Holmes,  Charles  C Private  . . . .  K   Tyler,  Henry Private 

Jehle,  Conrad Private  . . . .  G   Ulmer,  Gilbert Private 

Moore,  Henry Private  . . . .  H 

150TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Barnes,  William  H Private 

Burnett,  Bernard  C Private 

Howgate,  Charles Private 

Murphy,  Judd Private 


I   Rust,  Levi  .............  Private  . 

G  Van  Alstyne,  John  ......  Corporal 

A   Wing,  John  P  ..........  Private 

E   Wood,  Talmadge  .......  Private  . 


C 
B 
K 
K 
B 


A 
A 
A 

C 


"  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg;  no  further  record." 


232 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


154TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 


Name.                                              Rank.                   Co.                 Name.                                                Rank.  Co. 

Bishop,  Lewis Sergeant  ...    C   Moore,  William Private  ....  I 

Bouton,  Joel  M Corporal...    C   Myers,  Isaac* Private,...  I 

Chase,  James  F Private D   Paugh,  John Private  ....  I 

Heath,  Ebenezer Sergeant...    F   Reynolds,  Thaddeus. ..  .Private  ....  I 

Humiston,  Amos Sergeant  ...   C   Snyder,  Dennis  ........  Private  . . . .  D 

Mericle,  Albert Corporal . . .  H   Wiggins,  Byron Private  ....  - 

15?TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

Adams,  George  A Captain  —  H   Johnson,  Luzerne  E Private  . . . .  G 

Anguish,  Horace Corporal...     I   Joyner,  James  E Corporal...  E 

Arrowsmith,  George. ..  .Lt.  Colonel.    •-   Leigh,  Lewis  B, Private  ....  A 

Backus,  Jason  K Captain  ....    E   Lower,  Randall  D Lieutenant  .  I 

Bort,  William  L Private  ....    B    Markham,  T.  Leroy Sergeant  ...  D 

Brooks,  Frederick  G . . . .  Private  . . .  .   C    McDougall,  James Private  . .  . .  G 

Boney,  Jonas Private I   McKevitt,  Eugene Private H 

Bridge,  Albert  D Private  ....   G   McLaughlin,  James  F. .  .Private  ....  A 

Butler,  John Private  ....     I   Moore,  Durell   Private     ...  G 

Campbell,  Eugene  W Private B   Owen,  John  B Private D 

Carpenter,  William  W. .  .Private  ....  D   Parden,  Patrick ...Private  ....  I 

Coffin,  Henry  J Corporal...    C   Patchen,  Wallace  H Private....  K 

Conner,  George  W Private  . . . .  D   Pierce,  James  L Private  . . . .  K 

Culver,  Miles  A   Private E   Rainbow,  Simeon Private C 

Dean,  Timothy Private  ....    B   Rorabacker,  Isaac* Private  ....  C 

Eaton,  Francis  E Private  ....   E   Shattuck,  Morris  I Private  . . . .  D 

Frank,  Harrison Captain....   G   Stickney,  Clark Sergeant...  D 

Gazlay,  Dallas  W .  * ..  Private C   Stone,  Philander Corporal  . . .  H 

Giff ord,  Emery Private  . . . .   D   Smith,  John Private C 

Haley,  Thomas     Private E    Snyder,  Martin* Private I 

Harrington,  William ....  Sergeant  ...    B   Torry,  Daniel  M Corporal  ...  F 

Hart,  John  A Private  . . . .  G   Topping,  Amasa  C Private D 

Hatch,  Albert Private  ....     I   Wenbau,  Henry  L Private  ....  I 

Heeney,  Joseph  F .Adjutant...      -  Whitman,  H.  Harrison.  .Private  ....  B 

Haupt,  John  P Private E  Wilson,  Alfred  D Private E 

Hough,  Broughton Private     ...  K  Wiggins,  Joseph  G Private H 

Johnson,  Jerry Corporal  ...    C   Yau,  Andrew Private B 

IST  REGIMENT  U.  S.  SHARPSHOOTERS. 

Haight,  Smith Private D   McLean,  Charles  D Captain D 

STH  REGIMENT  CAVALRY. 

Hurley,  Daniel Private C 


GTH  REGIMENT  CAVALRY. 
Brussoux,  Charles Private D    Gannon,  Thomas Private D 

STH  REGIMENT  CAVALRY. 

Edson,  Albert  H Corporal  ...   A   Sahlman,  John    .... Private  . . . .  D 

Follett,  Charles  D Captain.  ...   D    Slocum,  Edwin  A ist  Sergt  ...  A 

Macomber,  Jonathan  . .  .Private  . . . .  M 

*  "  Missing  in  action  at  Gettysburg  ;  no  further  record." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG,  233 

OTH  REGIMENT  CAVALRY. 

Name.  Rank.  Co.  Name.  Rank.  Co. 

Cave,  Franklin  C Private I    James,  Cyrus  W Corporal  . . .  G 

Godfrey,  Landrus  A. ..  .Corporal .  ..  G 

lOi-H   REGIMENT   CAVALRY. 
Bentzel,  Philip     Private....    E   Voser,  Jacob Private....    C 

BATTERY  B,  Isx  REGIMENT  ARTILLERY. 

Barry,  John Private B  Radue,  Charles  W Private B 

Darveau,  Louis  D Sergeant...  B  Rorty,  James  McKayf  .  .Captain    ...  B 

Gavin,  Hughf Private     ...  B  Rosegrant,  Henry  C. ..  .Private  ....  B 

Halloran,  Michaelf Private     ...  B  Twitchell,  Napoleon  L.  .Private     ...  B 

Kelley,  Patrick  F.f Private  ....  B  Wright,  Harrison Private B 

Maynard,  Amos  F Private  ....  B 

BATTERY  G,  IST  REGIMENT  ARTILLERY. 
Tompkins,  Georgef Private G 

BATTERY  I,  IST  REGIMENT  ARTILLERY. 

Brunner,  Albert Private  ....     I   Kussenberger,  Mathias . .  Private  ....     I 

Gmelin,  John  Jacob Private  ....     I    Sonnenberg,  Edward  .  . .  Private  ....     I 

BATTERY  L,  IST  REGIMENT  ARTILLERY. 
Conn,  John  P Private  ....   L   Costello,  Edward Private  ....   L 

IST  INDEPENDENT  BATTERY,  L.  A. 

Billings,  Otis  C Private -   Mcllroy,  Jacob  Y Private     ...    - 

Gray,  James  A Private  ....      -   Peto,  Edward Private     ...     - 

Hitchcock,  Henry Private 

2v  INDEPENDENT  BATTERY,  L.  A. 
Blume,  F.  J.  T Lieutenant - 

4TH  INDEPENDENT  BATTERY,  L.  A. 
Smith,  Isaiah Private  ....         Thompson,  John  A Corporal  ...    — 

5TH  INDEPENDENT  BATTERY,  L.  A. 

Begg,  John  C.J Private  ....      -  Wittenberg,  Adolph  ....  Private  ....    — 

Thalheimer,  Antoine. ..  .Private  .... 

IOTH  INDEPENDENT  BATTERY,  L.  A. 
Fotheringham,  Edward§.  Private  ....      -  Verity,  John  W.§ Private    ....    - 

13TH  INDEPENDENT  BATTERY,  L.  A. 
Burns,  Patrick Private 

15TH  INDEPENDENT   BATTERY,  L.  A. 

Brady,  Dennis Corporal  ...      -   Neeson,  Charles Private  .... 

Finlen,  John , Private -   O'Neil,  Patrick Private - 

t  Of  the  14th  New  York  Independent  Battery  j  temporarily  attached. 

i  Killed  by  accidental  explosion  of  a  caisson  limber,  July  2,  while  going  into  action. 

§  Temporarily  attached  to  the  5th  Massachusetts  Battery. 


234 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


DEDICATION  OF  NEW  YORK  STATE  MONUMENT. 

July  2,    1893. 

PRAYER  BY  REV.  W.  B.  DERRICK,  D.  D. 

Almighty  and  Everlasting  God,  Father  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  creator  and  preserver  of  all  things  visible  and  invisible,  we  come  to 
Thee,  gracious  Lord,  thanking  Thee  for  all  Thy  kindness  and  Thy  tender 
mercies.  How  manifold  have  been  the  proofs  and  tokens  of  Thy  faithfulness. 
Thou  hast  preserved  our  lives,  unprofitable  though  they  may  be,  from  many 
dangers,  while  others  are  laid  upon  beds  of  affliction  or  cut  down  by  sudden 
death;  we  are  still  among  the  living  to  acknowledge  and  praise  Thy  name. 
Thou  knowest  the  cause  of  our  gathering  on  this  occasion,  on  this  sacred  and 
historic  spot;  Thou  knowest  the  motives  which  prompted  the  projectors  of  the 
movement  that  has  caused  the  erection,  and  now,  the  dedication  of  a  monument, 
as  a  token  for  our  fallen  heroes  who  so  willingly  and  bravely  gave  their 
lives  in  the  defence  of  the  nation's  honor.  O,  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob !  We  call  upon  Thee  to  let  Thy  divine  approval  rest  upon  the  exercises 
of  the  hour;  and  grant  that  all  our  acts  and  all  our  sayings  may  be  to  Thy 
name's  glory,  and  to  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  our  beloved  country.  We 
pray  Thee  to  let  the  spirit  of  conciliation  sink  deep  in  all  our  hearts,  and  that 
the  healing  balm  of  Thy  Divine  grace  may  heal  the  wounds  made  during  the 
days  of  war;  not  only  do  we  pray  for  the  healing,  but  for  the  complete  oblitera 
tion  of  every  scar  which  would  remind  us  of  past  offenses,  so  that  when 
coming  generations  shall  read  the  writings  of  the  historian,  they  may  read  in 
sympathy  and  not  in  vengeance.  Remember  the  homes,  we  pray  Thee,  from 
which  went  husbands,  fathers,  sons,  and  brothers  in  defence  of  the  nation's 
flag,  and  whose  bodies  are  resting  to-day  beneath  the  cold  sods  of  the  valley, 
and  whose  spirits  are  with  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect  at  Thy  right 
hand,  where  there  are  pleasures  forevermore. 

Remember  these  homes  in  mercy;  send  Thy  Divine  Comforter  to  comfort 
the  hearts  of  those  loved  ones  who  still  mourn  the  loss  of  their  kindred  and 
friends. 

We  pray  Thee  to  bless  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  nation.  Grant  to  him  a 
prosperous  and  happy  reign  over  us;  likewise  the  Governors  of  the  States  of 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York,  States  which  have  furnished  the  territory  and 
means,  upon  and  with  which  the  monument  is  erected;  and  may  they  con 
tinue  to  conduct  and  control  the  interests  of  these  great  commonwealths  of 
which  they  are  the  chief  magistrates,  with  wisdom  and  righteousness  until 
their  life  work  is  accomplished.  When,  with  the  members  of  the  committee  to 
whose  charge  the  planning  and  building  of  this  token  of  appreciation  has  been 
committed,  they  shall  have  succeeded  in  building  their  own  monuments  in  the 
hearts  and  affections  of  their  comrades  and  countrymen,  may  they  at  last  enter 
into  that  haven  of  eternal  joy,  where  the  wicked  shall  cease  from  troubling  and 
the  weary  are  at  rest. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  235 

Remember  in  mercy  these  venerable  bishops  who  are  here  present  to  take 
part  in  these  exercises,  as  the  representatives  of  Thy  church  upon  earth;  direct 
them  by  power  divine  that  they  may  continue  to  shed  abroad  the  hallowed 
influence  by  which  they  have  succeeded  through  life's  pilgrimages,  in  moral 
izing  and  Christianizing  the  nation  and  the  world.  Have  mercy  upon  them! 
Have  mercy  upon  them,  O  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world!  May  the  exceeding  riches  of  Thy  grace  exercise  constraining  influence 
on  all  our  hearts  and  lives,  that  we  may  conquer  all  the  evil  propensities  of 
our  nature !  Give  us  peace  of  conscience  and  charity  toward  all  men,  and  make 
us  more  solicitous  about  the  one  thing  needful,  the  only  enduring  riches  of 
eternity.  Make  us  thankful  for  the  blessings  which  we  now  enjoy,  and  for 
the  hope  possessed  by  us  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  life  which  is  to  come. 

The  Lord  grant  to  us  mercy,  peace,  and  happiness,  now  and  forevermore. 
Amen. 


ADDRESS  BY  MAJ.  GEN.  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES,  U.  S.  A. 
PRESIDENT  OF  THE  DAY. 

COMRADES,  LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

My  colleagues  have  requested  me  to  preside  on  this  occasion.  It  is  my 
agreeable  duty,  to  extend  to  the  guests  of  the  State  of  New  York,  who  are 
present,  a  cordial  welcome.  Conspicuous  among  them,  for  their  numbers  and 
their  claims  upon  the  public  gratitude,  are  7,000  veteran  soldiers  of  New  York, 
survivors  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  who  have  availed  themselves  of  the  in 
vitation  extended  to  them  by  our  Legislature.  They  are  here  to-day  to  take 
part  in  the  dedication  of  this  imposing  column,  and  other  regimental  and  bat 
tery  monuments  erected  by  a  grateful  Commonwealth  to  commemorate  the 
heroic  services  of  the  sons  of  New  York  on  this  battlefield. 

To  you,  Governor  Flower,  and  to  your  associates  in  the  legislative  and 
executive  departments  of  our  State  government,  the  Board  of  Commissioners 
tender  their  congratulations  upon  the  completion  of  our  work  upon  this  field; 
to  which  you,  sir,  and  your  predecessor,  Governor  Hill,  have  contributed  so 
much  earnest  co-operation.  (Applause.) 

His  Excellency,  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  telegraphed  us  in  reply  to 
our  invitation,  on  Tuesday  last,  these  graceful  words :  "  Pennsylvania  wel 
comes  you  to  the  State  which  has  been  so  conspicuously  honored  by  the  gallant 
New  York  troops." 

Governor  Pattison  is  with  us  to-day;  we  thank  him  for  his  presence  on  this 
occasion;  and  to  him  and  to  his  colleagues  in  the  State  government  of  Penn 
sylvania  we  offer  our  heartiest  greetings.  (Applause.) 

I  am  sure  that  all  in  this  great  audience  will  unite  with  me  in  expressing 
our  satisfaction  that  we  are  honored  by  the  presence  of  the  Right  Reverend 
Bishop  of  New  York,  who  will  deliver  the  principal  dedicatory  address  on 
this  occasion. 


236  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

The  Legislature  of  New  York,  at  its  recent  session,  designated  this,  the 
thirtieth  anniversary  of  the  battle,  as  "  New  York  Day."  The  State  monument 
near  which  we  are  assembled,  stands  alongside  of  the  plot  in  which  1,200 
New  York  soldiers,  killed  in  this  battle,  are  buried;  and,  as  you  will  see  by  the 
inscription  on  one  of  the  bronze  tablets,  the  column  is  placed  on  this  spot 
as  a  testimonial  of  the  State  to  these  heroes.  The  statue,  which  surmounts 
the  column,  is  the  impersonation  of  the  Commonwealth  of  New  York.  You 
see  in  her  hands  wreaths  of  flowers,  which  she  would  place  on  these  graves  in 
token  of  her  sorrow  for  her  lost  sons,  a  sentiment  the  artist  has  touchingly 
expressed  in  her  tearful  eyes  and  quivering  lips.  These  men,  who  are  buried 
here,  are  entitled  to  the  noblest  epitaph  a  soldier  can  desire,  "  killed  in  battle." 

The  Board  of  Commissioners  are  directed  by  an  act  of  our  Legislature  to 
present,  in  the  name  of  the  State  of  New  York,  a  bronze  medal  to  each  of  her 
surviving  participants  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  whose  name  shall  be  like 
wise  inscribed  on  "  Muster  Rolls  of  Honor,"  and  filed  in  the  office  of  the  Secre 
tary  of  State.  On  the  face  of  the  medal  the  arms  of  the  State  are  shown  in 
relief;  on  the  obverse,  the  State  monument  is  represented.  We  may  be  sure 
that  every  soldier,  decorated  with  one  of  these  medals,  will  appreciate  it  as 
the  gift  of  his  fellow-citizens  of  this  generation,  bestowed  for  services  given 
by  him  to  his  country  in  the  hour  of  her  greatest  peril.  (Applause.) 

New  York  may  always  remember  with  satisfaction  the  distinguished  part 
borne  by  her  soldiers  on  this  memorable  field.  In  Reynolds'  battle  of  July  ist, 
our  six  divisions  of  infantry  were  all  led  by  New  York  commanders,  Double- 
day,  Robinson  and  Wadsworth  of  the  First  Corps, —  Schurz,  Von  Stemwehr 
and  Barlow  (wounded)  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  Brigades  of  infantry  were 
commanded  by  Von  Gilsa,  Coster,  Von  Amsberg  and  Krzyzanowski,  all  of 
New  York.  Wainwright  and  Osborn,  of  New  York,  were  chiefs  of  artillery; 
and  Devin,  of  New  York,  commanded  one  of  the  cavalry  brigades  of  Buford's 
Division.  Doubleday  took  command  of  the  First  Corps  when  Reynolds  fell. 

In  the  battle  of  July  2d,  the  right  and  left  flanks  of  our  army  were  held 
by  the  Twelfth  and  Third  Army  Corps,  commanded  respectively  by  Slocum 
and  Sickles,  of  New  York.  The  brigades  of  Ward,  De  Trobriand,  Graham, 
Carr,  and  Brewster  of  the  Third  Corps, —  the  brigades  of  Zook,  Willard,  and 
Kelly  of  the  Second  Corps,  Ayres'  Division  and  the  brigades  of  Weed  and  of 
Rice  (who  succeeded  Vincent)  of  the  Fifth  Corps, —  all  New  York  command 
ers, —  sustained  the  many  fierce  combats  that  ended  in  the  final  repulse  of  the 
enemy  on  our  left  flank.  Of  these  leaders,  Zook,  Weed,  and  Willard  were 
killed,  and  Sickles  and  Graham  were  wounded. 

The  heroic  Greene,  with  a  brigade  of  five  New  York  regiments,  supported 
by  two  others  sent  to  him  by  Howard  and  Wadsworth,  firmly  held  our  prin 
cipal  entrenchments  on  Gulp's  Hill  against  the  persistent  assaults  of  a  division 
of  the  enemy,  under  Johnson. 

Among  the  commands  prominent  in  the  events  of  the  third  day,  when  Lee 
made  his  desperate  attempt  to  retrieve  the  fortunes  of  the  battle,  were  the 
brigades  of  Webb,  of  the  Second  Corps;  and  of  Shaler,  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  both 
of  New  York;  the  latter  included  three  New  York  regiments  and  helped  Slocum 
recover  our  lines  on  Gulp's  Hill.  And  when  Webb's  Brigade  met  the  shock 
of  Armistead's  Virginians  on  Cemetery  Hill,  the  enemy  had  fired  his  last  shot. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  237 

Besides  the  chief  of  staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  General  Butterfield 
(wounded),  and  the  chief  of  engineers,  General  Warren,  we  have  seen  that 
three  army  corps,  seven  divisions  and  twenty  brigades  led  by  New  York  com 
manders, —  not  including  the  brigades  of  Russell,  Bartlett  and  Nevin  of  the 
Sixth  Corps,  in  reserve, —  were  all  conspicuously  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg. 

More  than  40,000  men  fell  on  this  field.  On  our  side  we  had  85,000  in  the 
battle.  Of  these  New  York  contributed  27,000.  The  loss  in  the  Union  army 
was  about  23,000,  of  which  6,707  was  borne  by  New  York  troops.  Shot  and 
shell  mowed  down  the  unripened  grain  and  tore  the  limbs  from  unnumbered 
trees.  The  green  meadows  and  the  gray  rocks  were  crimsoned.  The  graves  in 
this  cemetery  are  filled  with  thousands  of  the  fallen,  shrouded  in  their  blood 
stained  uniforms. 

The  State  of  New  York  raised  400,000  men  for  the  Union  army.  Of  this 
vast  number  53,000  died  in  service.  Of  the  300  renowned  battalions,  whose 
losses  in  killed  and  wounded  were  the  largest,  as  shown  by  Fox,  the  historian, 
fifty-nine  regiments  were  New  York  troops.  From  '61  to  '65,  the  State  of  New 
York  expended  $125,000,000  in  raising  and  equipping  its  forces.  The  New 
York  regiments  and  batteries  fought  in  more  than  a  thousand  battles,  engage 
ments  and  skirmishes.  Apart  from  this  battlefield,  hundreds  of  military  and 
naval  monuments  are  already  placed  in  as  many  towns  and  cities  in  our  State. 
There  is  no  better  way,  my  comrades  as  you  know,  to  prepare  for  the  next 
war,  than  for  the  people  to  show  their  appreciation  of  their  defenders  in  the 
last  war.  (Applause.)  No  nation  can  long  survive  the  decline  of  its  martial 
character.  When  it  ceases  to  honor  its  soldiers,  it  will  have  none.  (Applause.) 
When  it  ceases  to  honor  its  soldiers,  it  will  deserve  none.  (Applause.) 

It  cannot  be  said  of  our  republic  that  it  has  been  ungrateful  to  its  defenders. 
We  give  more  than  $100,000,000  a  year  to  the  soldiers  of  our  wars;  and  let 
no  man  be  chosen  to  rule  over  us  who  will  take  a  dollar  from  the  pension  of 
a  worthy  veteran.  (Applause.) 

In  all  ages  of  the  world's  history,  and  in  all  countries,  the  admiration  of  the 
people  for  their  military  and  naval  heroes  has  sought  expression  in  costly 
monuments,  built  in  honor  of  great  commanders.  In  this  country,  the  dis 
position  is  to  exalt  the  virtues  and  services  of  our  citizen  soldiers,  upon  whom 
the  brunt  and  burden  of  our  Civil  War  mainly  fell.  Eighty-three  regimental 
and  battery  monuments,  erected  on  this  field  by  New  York,  will  have  a  touching 
interest  for  all  time  to  our  citizens,  and  above  all,  to  the  descendants  of  the 
men  who  served  in  our  New  York  commands.  It  has  been  the  aim  and  purpose 
of  the  Commissioners,  so  far  as  their  authority  permitted,  to  supervise  the 
designs  and  the  execution  of  them,  in  order  that  these  tributes  of  a  grateful 
and  patriotic  people,  offered  to  the  memory  of  their  defenders,  shall  not  be 
deemed  unworthy  of  the  culture  and  art  of  the  epoch  in  which  we  live. 

Gettysburg  was  a  decisive  victory,  won  at  a  moment  when  defeat  might  have 
been  ruinous  to  our  cause.  It  marked  the  beginning  of  the  decline  and  fall 
of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  Our  success  was  gained  over  the  most  formid 
able  army  ever  encountered  by  the  Union  forces.  The  advance  of  General 


238  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Lee  to  the  Susquehanna  marked  the  extreme  limit  ever  reached  by  the  in 
vading  forces  of  the  South;  and  it  is,  surely,  most  fitting  that,  upon  a  battle 
field  so  conspicuous  in  American  annals,  and  in  which  our  volunteer  soldiers 
bore  so  distinguished  a  part,  New  York  should  be  represented  by  monuments 
not  inferior  in  impressiveness  and  beauty  to  those  erected  by  any  other  State. 

By  common  consent,  this  famous  battlefield  has  been  chosen  to  signalize 
the  patriotism,  fortitude  and  valor  of  the  defenders  of  the  Union,  in  the  great 
Civil  War.  Eighteen  States  have  erected  monuments  on  this  field  in  honor  of 
the  services  of  their  citizens.  Three  hundred  and  forty  memorials  have  already 
been  placed  here,  and  the  list  is  not  yet  completed.  The  time  has  come  when 
this  battlefield  should  belong  to  the  government  of  the  United  States.  (Ap 
plause.)  It  should  be  made  a  national  park,  and  placed  in  charge  of  the 
War  Department.  Its  topographical  features  not  yet  destroyed  by  the  vandals, 
who  are  even  now  defacing  them,  must  hereafter  remain  unimpaired.  The 
monuments  erected  here  must  be  always  guarded  and  preserved,  and  an  act 
of  Congress  for  this  purpose,  which  I  shall  make  it  my  personal  duty  to  frame 
and  advocate  (applause),  will  contain  a  clause  establishing  a  military  post  at 
Gettysburg,  including  the  battlefield  among  its  dependencies,  to  be  garrisoned 
by  artillery,  to  the  end  that  the  morning  and  evening  gun  may  forever  salute 
the  flag  and  the  Union  which  were  so  heroically  defended  on  this  historic 
ground.  (Great  applause.)* 

The  battles  of  Waterloo  and  Gettysburg  are  sometimes  compared.  Both  are 
included  among  the  decisive  conflicts  recorded  in  history.  The  tactics  in  both 
battles  have  been  much  discussed  and  freely  criticised.  The  contending  hosts 
were  not  unlike  in  numbers,  until  the  arrival  of  Blucher  made  the  allied  forces 
almost  twice  as  large  as  the  French.  The  military  genius  of  Napoleon  failed 
him  at  Waterloo,  where  his  army  was  destroyed,  as  the  good  fortune  of  Lee 
deserted  him  at  Gettysburg,  although  his  retreat  was  not  interrupted.  Water 
loo  had  its  Mount  St.  Jean  and  Gettysburg  its  Round  Top.  Both  have  been 
called  "  Soldiers'  Battles."  The  contrasts  between  Waterloo  and  Gettysburg 
are  more  obvious  than  the  resemblances.  The  defeat  of  Napoleon  was  soon 
followed  by  his  downfall.  The  escape  of  Lee  prolonged  the  Rebellion  for 
nearly  two  years.  Sometime  after  the  close  of  our  war,  I  asked  General 
Alexander,  who  commanded  Lee's  artillery  at  Gettysburg,  what  would  have 
been  the  result  if  our  reserves  of  infantry  and  cavalry  had  been  thrown  on  the 
right  flank  and  rear  of  the  Confederates,  after  their  defeat.  He  answered: 
"  The  war  would  have  ended  in  an  hour."  Waterloo  terminated  the  military 
supremacy  of  France  in  Europe.  Gettysburg  assured  the  perpetuity  of  the 
American  republic.  Waterloo  was  the  triumph  of  the  reigning  monarchs  over 
the  French  Revolution.  Gettysburg  prevented  European  intervention  in  our 
Civil  War.  Waterloo  restored  France  to  the  Bourbons.  Gettysburg  broke 
the  chains  that  fettered  millions  of  slaves,  giving  force  and  effect  to  Lincoln's 
Proclamation  of  Emancipation,  which  before  was  only  an  edict. 

*  The  battlefield  of  Gettysburg  was  made  a  National  Military  Park  by  an  act  of  Con 
gress,  approved  February  II,  1895.  This  act  was  drafted  and  introduced  by  General 
Sickles,  then  a  member  of  the  House  of  Representatives  from  the  city  of  New  York. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Two  great  armies  fought  on  this  field.  They  were  nearly  equal  in  numbers 
and  were  better  equipped,  more  thoroughly  trained  and  more  .accustomed  to 
war  than  any  which  had  confronted  each  other  since  hostilities  began.  In  the 
stillness  of  a  summer  morning,  broken  by  the  solemn  tread  of  many  battalions, 
the  opposing  hosts  were  gathered  for  the  momentous  conflict.  Gettysburg 
had  not  been  chosen  by  either  commander  as  a  battleground.  General  Meade 
was  moving  his  widely  extended  columns  towards  Pipe  Creek,  where  he 
hoped  to  force  General  Lee  to  fight  him.  General  Lee  was  manoeuvring  to 
cover  his  lines  of  communication,  menaced  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on 
his  flank  and  rear.  An  unforeseen  conflict  between  Reynolds  and  Hill  on 
July  ist  from  which,  although  outnumbered,  Howard  seized  good  positions 
for  the  coming  battle,  changed  the  plans  of  Lee  and  Meade.  Both  determined 
to  bring  all  their  forces  to  Gettysburg.  Both  armies  bivouacked  here  the  next 
day. 

The  army  of  General  Lee,  says  General  Hood,  one  of  his  distinguished 
commanders,  "  was  never  so  buoyant,  so  confident  of  success."  The  temper 
of  the  Union  forces  was  grave,  earnest,  resolute.  Our  men  knew  that  defeat 
on  the  line  of  the  Susquehanna  meant  ruin  to  their  cause.  Our  lines  of  battle 
stretched  for  miles, —  from  Gulp's  Hill  to  Round  Top.  It  was  a  picturesque 
arena  for  contending  armies.  The  movements  of  our  troops  were  plainly  visible 
from  the  heights  that  mark  the  ground.  The  enemy  was  masked  by  forests. 
We  had  few  entrenchments.  There  was  no  time  to  construct  them.  When 
Longstreet  advanced  to  assault  our  left,  the  battle  lines  met  each  other  face 
to  face,  man  to  man.  The  solemnity  of  the  hour  was  felt  when  the  Irish  Brigade, 
approaching  my  headquarters,  knelt  and  received  absolution  from  their  chap 
lain,  Father  Corby,  and  then  deployed  for  the  deadly  encounter. 

There  is  a  day  and  an  hour  in  the  life  of  every  nation  when  its  fate  hangs 
on  the  issue  of  a  battle;  such  a  day  and  hour  —  thirty  years  ago  —  was  the 
crisis  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  on  the  afternoon  of  the  2d  day  of  July,  1863. 
From  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  through  the  Peach  Orchard  and  the  Wheat- 
field  and  Devil's  Den  to  Little  Round  Top,  the  same  ground  was  won  and 
lost  and  won  again,  both  sides  fighting  like  heroes,  until  evening  closed  the 
struggle  with  the  final  repulse  of  the  attack  on  the  left  flank  of  the  Union 
army.  The  losses  in  killed  and  wounded  on  July  2d  were  larger  than  on  the 
1st  and  3d  combined. 

Lee's  assault  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  our  center,  on  July  3d  was  a  forlorn  effort 
to  save  a  lost  battle.  It  was  a  useless  sacrifice  of  brave  men.  His  200  guns, 
answered  by  as  many  on  our  side,  under  Hunt,  made  little  impression  on  our 
lines.  Longstreet's  columns,  advancing  towards  Cemetery  Ridge,  torn  by  our 
artillery  and  crushed  by  the  fire  of  Hancock's  infantry,  disappeared  like  ocean 
waves  dashing  against  a  rock-ribbed  shore.  Stewart's  cavalry  —  sent  by  Lee 
to  assail  our  rear,  while  the  Confederate  infantry  attacked  in  front, —  was 
driven  back  by  Gregg.  Twelve  thousand  sabres  flashing  in  the  July  sun, — 
the  tread  of  12,000  horses  charging  over  the  turf,  revealed  the  greatest  cavalry 
combat  ever  seen  on  this  continent. 

There  is  no  thought  suggested  by  this  occasion,  that  should  give  pain  to 
any  of  our  countrymen  to-day.  We  rejoice,  yes,  as  all  of  our  countrymen  may 


240  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

rejoice,  in  a  Union  successfully  defended;  in  a  government  whose  authority 
was  here  maintained;  in  a  Constitution  firmly  established;  in  Republican  in 
stitutions  made  imperishable.  In  these  results,  to  which  the  victory  of  the 
Union  arms  at  Gettysburg  contributed  so  much,  every  American,  and  every 
well-wisher  of  America,  may  find  satisfaction. 

If  the  sacrifices  made  on  this  field  were  greater  than  in  any  other  combat  of 
the  war,  the  results  were  compensatory.  We  have  seen  our  reunited  republic 
augmented  in  resources  and  strength,  take  a  foremost  place  among  the  great 
powers  of  the  world.  The  men  who  fell  here,  gathered  to-day  in  the  spirit- 
land,  alongside  of  their  comrades  who  fell  on  many  other  battlefields,  say  to 
us,  "  We  have  fought  the  good  fight."  They  unite  with  Lincoln,  the  martyr, 
now,  at  this  hour,  in  rejoicing  over  a  Union  saved  and  a  Constitution  per 
petuated;  "  that  the  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain;  that  the  nation  shall,  under 
God,  have  a  new  birth  of  freedom;  and  that  government  of  the  people,  by  the 
people,  and  for  the  people  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth."  (Long  continued 
applause.) 


ORATION. 

BY  Right  Rev.  HENRY  C.  POTTER,  Bishop  of  New  York. 

Thirty  years  ago  to-day,  these  peaceful  scenes  were  echoing  with  the  roar 
and  din  of  what  a  calm  and  unimpassioned  historian,  writing  of  it  long  years 
afterward,  described  as  the  "  greatest  battlefield  of  the  New  World."  Thirty 
years  ago  to-day  the  hearts  of  some  thirty  millions  of  people  turned  to  this 
spot  with  various  but  eager  emotions,  and  watched  here  the  crash  of  two 
armies  which  gathered  in  their  vast  embrace  the  flower  of  a  great  people. 
Never,  declared  the  seasoned  soldiers  who  listened  to  the  roar  of  the  enemy's 
artillery,  had  they  heard  anything  that  was  comparable  with  it.  Now  and  then 
it  paused,  as  though  the  very  throats  of  the  mighty  guns  were  tired, —  but  only 
for  a  little.  Not  for  one  day,  nor  for  two  days,  but  for  three  raged  the  awful 
conflict,  while  the  Republic  gave  its  best  life  to  redeem  its  honor,  and  the  stain 
of  all  previous  blundering  and  faltering  was  washed  white  forever  with  the 
blood  of  its  patriots  and  martyrs. 

How  far  away  it  all  seems,  as  we  stand  here  to-day!  How  profound  the 
contrast  between  those  hours  and  days  of  bloodshed,  and  the  still  serenity  of 
nature  as  it  greets  us  now!  The  graves  that  cluster  round  us  here  —  the 
peaceful  resting  places  of  a  nation's  heroes  —  are  green  and  fair;  and,  within 
them,  they  who  fell  here,  after  life's  fierce  and  fitful  fever,  are  sleeping  well. 

And  we  are  here  to  tell  the  world,  to-day,  that  we  have  not  forgotten  them. 
It  seems  a  tardy  honor  that  we  come  to  pay  them;  but-  through  all  the  years 
that  have  come  and  gone  we  have  kept  their  memories  green.  No  single 
anniversary  of  their  great  achievement  has  returned  that  they,  who  count  it 
chiefest  honor  that  they  may  call  these  men  brothers,  have  not  come  here  to 
bring  their  grateful  homage,  and  to  recite  the  splendid  story  of  their  splendid 
deeds.  Nay  more  —  in  far-off  towns  and  hamlets,  north,  and  east,  and  west, 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  241 

in  every  home  from  which  they  came,  no  year  has  passed  that  ardent  voices 
have  not  sung  their  valor  and  iron  pens  traced  upon  imperishable  pages  the 
story  of  their  sacrifices.  It  is  a  long  day,  indeed,  from  that  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord,  1863,  to  this  in  1893;  but  if  we  seem  to  be  late  in  raising  here  this 
monument,  you  who  behold  it  here  to-day  will  own  that  it  is  not  unworthy  of 
the  men  and  the  deeds  that  it  commemorates. 

I  may  not  rehearse  the  story  of  those  deeds  this  afternoon.  Already  they 
have  become  a  part  of  our  common  heritage,  and  have  passed  by  a  process 
of  spiritual  assimilation  into  the  very  fibre  of  the  nation's  life.  There  is  no 
schoolboy  now  who  has  not  read  the  peerless  and  incomparable  story  —  read 
it,  and  flushed  and  glowed  with  the  fire  of  a  passionate  patriotism  while  he  read 
it, —  all  the  way  along  from  that  first  moment  when  long  before  the  dawn  of 
July  ist  "  Meade,  himself,"  as  the  historian  has  described  him,  "  came  upon  the 
field  at  I  o'clock  in  the  morning,  a  pale,  tired-looking,  hollow-eyed  man,  worn 
with  toil  and  lack  of  sleep,  with  little  of  the  conventional  hero  about  him,  but 
stout  in  heart  and  clear  in  mind," —  on  through  that  early  morning  when  the 
heroic  Reynolds,  grasping  the  situation  with  a  great  commander's  swift  intui 
tion,  dashed  along  the  Emmitsburg  road  to  seize,  if  he  might,  the  great  oppor 
tunity  that  confronted  him,  and  a  little  later  was  shot  dead  by  a  bullet  through 
the  brain, —  on  through  that  bloody  morning  and  afternoon,  when  Hancock 
and  Howard  came,  when  Slocum  seized  and  occupied  his  vantage  ground, 
when  our  own  Sickles,  with  his  dusty  and  travel-stained  veterans,  came  in  haste 
from  Emmitsburg  and  forced  the  fighting, —  yes,  on  through  all  that  memor 
able  night  that  followed,  and  that  knew  no  rest  nor  pause  of  hurrying  battalions 
and  tramp  of  armed  men  —  on,  till  the  morning  dawned  that  ushered  in  this 
tremendous  and  never-to-be-forgotten  day, —  how  well,  now,  we  remember  that 
incomparable  story,  and  with  awe  and  reverence  recall  it! 

For  here,  friends  and  countrymen,  the  world  witnessed  a  battlefield  dis 
figured  by  no  littleness  and  spoiled  by  no  treachery.  So  long  as  the  world 
lasts  men  will  differ  about  the  best  strategy  in  war,  and  the  schoolmen  in  arms 
will  dispute  concerning  the  wisdom  of  commanders,  and  the  quality  of  their 
generalship.  But  though  the  critics  may  tell  us  what,  in  this  or  that  emer 
gency,  might  or  might  not  have  been  done  here  thirty  years  ago,  no  criticism, 
however  clever  or  hostile,  can  at  all  belittle  that  which  was  the  one  supreme 
splendor  of  this  day  and  this  field.  Here  the  world  saw  a  great  army  con 
fronted  with  a  great  crisis  and  dealing  with  it  in  a  great  way.  Here,  for  a 
time,  at  any  rate,  all  lesser  jealousies  and  rivalries  disappeared  in  the  one 
supreme  rivalry  how  each  one  should  best  serve  his  country  and  if  need 
be,  die  for  her.  Listen  to  the  keynote  of  those  great  days  as  the  general 
commanding  himself  struck  it: 

"  HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  } 
"June  30,  1863.  ) 

"  The  Commanding  General  requests  that,  previous  to  the  engagement  soon 

expected  with  the  enemy,  corps  and  other  commanding  officers  will  address 

their  troops,  explaining  to  them  briefly  the  immense  issues  involved  in  the 

struggle.     The  enemy  are  on  our  soil;  the  whole  country  now  looks  anxiously 

16 


242  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

to  this  army  to  deliver  it  from  the  presence  of  the  foe;  our  failure  to  do  so  will 
leave  us  no  such  welcome  as  the  swelling  of  millions  of  hearts  with  pride  and 
joy  at  our  success  would  give  to  every  soldier  of  this  army.  Homes,  firesides, 
domestic  altars  are  involved.  The  army  has  fought  well  heretofore;  it  is 
believed  it  will  fight  more  desperately  and  bravely  than  ever,  if  it  is  addressed  in 
fitting  terms. 

"  By  command  of 

Major  General  MEADE. 
"  S.  WILLIAMS, 

"Assistant  Adjutant  General." 

Such  words  were  not  wasted.  Whatever  else  was  wanting,  here  were  not 
wanting  a  high  purpose,  and  heroic  souls  to  follow  it. 

And  so  we  come  here  to-day,  my  countrymen,  we  come  first  of  all,  to  honor 
that  which  in  human  nature  is  the  best  —  unflinching  courage,  unfaltering 
sacrifice,  and  over  all,  a  patriot's  pure  devotion  to  the  right.  Let  no  man 
say  that  in  raising  this  monument  to  our  dead  heroes  we  are  setting  up  one 
more  altar  wherewith  to  glorify  the  cruel  god  of  war.  There  is,  indeed,  no 
one  of  us  here,  I  am  persuaded,  who  does  not  see  in  war  and  its  attendant  train 
of  evils  and  horrors,  that  of  which  any  man  or  nation  may  wisely  be  in  dread. 
There  is  no  one  of  us  here,  I  am  no  less  persuaded,  who,  listening  to  that 
blatant  jingoism,  that,  from  some  safe  retreat,  from  time  to  time  shoots  its 
envenomed  fang  of  swagger  and  hate  to  inflame,  if  it  may,  a  great  people  to 
some  silly  deed  of  arms  alike  unworthy  of  its  power  and  its  enlightenment  — 
there  is  no  one  of  us,  I  say,  who  listening  to  such  foolish  talk  does  not  hear  it 
with  equal  amusement  and  contempt.  But,  all  the  same,  we  may  not  forget 
that  there  may  come  in  the  history  of  every  nation  emergencies  when  all  the 
resources  of  diplomacy  and  all  the  cleverness  of  statesmanship  having  been 
exhausted,  there  remains  no  other  arbitrament  but  the  sword,  no  last  court 
of  appeal,  but  to  arms.  And  surely  we  who  have  lived,  as  have  many  of  us 
here,  through  that  memorable  era  which  preceded  the  struggle  which  we  are 
here  to-day  to  commemorate,  can  never  forget  that  there  were  ideas  which 
were  at  war,  first  of  all ;  and  that  the  life  of  the  Republic  was  bound  up  with  the 
triumph  of  those  ideas  for  which  this  battlefield  must  forever  stand  —  yes,  their 
triumph,  peacefully  if  it  might  be,  but  with  the  sword,  and  shot,  and  shell,  if 
it  must  be. 

Believe  me,  my  countrymen,  we  need  to  remember  this!  Into  this  sacred 
and  august  presence  —  the  presence  both  of  the  dead  and  the  living, —  and 
amid  these  gracious  and  tender  ceremonies,  I  would  not  introduce  one  dis 
cordant  note.  It  is  well  that  as  the  years  go  by  the  rancors  that  once  divided 
children  of  the  same  Republic  should  be  forgiven  and  forgotten.  But  there  are 
other  things  that  may  not  be  forgotten,  and  it  is  at  our  peril  that  we  forget 
them.  We  may  never  forget  that  the  struggle  of  which  these  graves  are  the 
witnesses  was  a  struggle  for  eternal  righteousness.  We  may  never  forget  that 
the  cause  which  was  substantially  decided  here  was  the  cause  of  freedom,  and 
justice,  and  the  everlasting  equities,  as  against  a  despotism,  which,  however 
amiable  its  ordinary  exhibitions,  had  in  it,  as  Sumner  said  of  it,  the  essence  of 
that  "  crime  that  degrades  men."  We  may  never  forget  that,  behind  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  243 

cause  of  the  Union,  was  the  cause  of  unpaid  labor,  of  bartered  manhood,  of  a 
traffic  which  dealt  in  human  hearts.  We  may  never  forget  that  the  greatest 
victory  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  was  the  triumph  of  great  principles.  And, 
above  all,  we  may  never  forget  that  a  nation  which  has  won  its  freedom  from 
dishonor  with  a  great  price,  can  only  maintain  that  freedom  by  struggles  and 
sacrifices  equally  great.  These  halcyon  seas  on  which  we  float  —  O  my 
countrymen,  they  are  not  always  friendly  to  a  nation's  best  well-being.  The 
institutions  which,  at  such  cost,  we  have  rescued  from  disintegration  and  ruin, 
will  not  long  survive  unless  you  and  I  are  concerned  as  to  those  foundations  on 
which  they  rest,  and  unless,  above  all,  we  watch  with  jealous  eye  whatever 
alien  hand  would  abuse  or  pervert  them.  It  was  the  tragedy  of  that  struggle 
which  we  are  here  to-day  to  remember,  that  it  was  an  internecine  struggle. 
They  were  of  ourselves  who  lifted  the  flag  of  revolt  and  disowned  the  authority 
of  the  Government;  and  it  may  be  —  alas  only  lately  we  have  been  reminded 
how  easily!  —  that  those  in  high  places  shall  even  be  the  apologists  of  the  red 
flag  of  anarchy  and  of  the  red  hands  of  its  ensanguined  followers.  This  day, 
this  service,  and  most  of  all  these  our  heroic  dead,  stand  —  let  us  here  swear 
never  to  forget  it  —  for  the  sanctity  of  law,  for  the  enduring  supremacy  of  just 
and  equitable  government,  and  so  for  the  liberties  of  a  law-abiding  people! 

In  their  honor  we  come  here,  my  brothers,  to  consecrate  this  monumental 
shaft  What,  now,  is  that  one  feature  in  this  occasion  which  lends  to  it  its 
supreme  and  most  pathetic  interest?  There  are  other  monuments  in  this  city 
of  a  nation's  dead,  distinguished  as  these  graves  that  lie  about  us  here  can  never 
be.  There  are  the  tombs  and  memorials  of  heroes  whose  names  are  blazoned 
upon  them  and  whose  kindred  and  friends  as  they  have  stood  round  them 
have  repeopled  this  scene  with  their  vanished  forms,  have  recalled  their  linea 
ments,  have  recited  their  deeds,  and  have  stood  in  tender  homage  around 
forms  which  were  once  to  them  a  living  joy  and  presence.  But  for  us  to-day 
there  is  no  such  privilege,  no  such  tender  individuality  of  grief.  These  are 
our  unknown  dead.  Out  of  whatever  homes  they  came  we  can  not  tell.  What 
were  their  names,  their  lineage,  their  human  mien  and  aspect,  of  this  no  less 
we  are  ignorant.  One  thing  only  we  know.  They  wore  our  uniform.  In 
one  form  or  another,  by  cap,  or  sleeve,  or  weapon  —  somewhere  upon  the 
sacred  and  mutilated  forms  that  once  lay  dying  or  dead  within  sight  of  these 
historic  hills  there  was  the  token  of  that  Empire  State  whence  they  had  come  — 
whence  we  have  come,  and  that  makes  them  and  us,  in  the  bond  of  that 
dear  and  noble  commonwealth,  forever  brothers.  And  that  is  enough  for  us. 
We  need  to  know  no  more.  From  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  and  the  St. 
Lawrence,  from  the  wilds  of  the  Catskills  and  the  Adirondacks,  from  the  salt 
shores  of  Long  Island,  and  from  the  fresh  lakes  of  Geneva  and  Onondaga,  and 
their  peers,  from  the  forge  and  the  farm,  the  shop  and  the  factory,  from  college 
halls  and  crowded  tenements,  all  alike,  they  came  here  and  fought  and  fell  — 
and  shall  never,  never  be  forgotten!  Our  great  unknown  defenders!  Ah! 
my  countrymen,  here  we  touch  the  foundations  of  a  people's  safety  —  of  a 
nation's  greatness!  We  are  wont  to  talk  much  of  the  world's  need  of  great 
leaders,  and  their  proverb  is  often  on  our  lips  who  said  of  old,  "  Woe  unto  the 
land  whose  king  is  a  child."  Yes,  verily,  that  is  a  dreary  outlook  for  any 


244  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

people  when  among  her  sons  there  is  none  worthy  to  lead  her  armies,  to  guide 
her  counsels,  to  interpret  her  laws,  or  to  administer  them.  But  there  is  a  still 
drearier  outlook  when  in  any  nation,  however  wise  her  rulers  and  noble  and 
heroic  her  commanders,  there  is  no  greatness  in  the  people  equal  to  a  great 
vision  in  an  emergency,  and  with  a  great  courage  with  which  to  seize  it.  And 
that,  I  maintain,  was  the  supreme  glory  of  the  heroes  whom  we  commemorate 
to-day.  Do  you  tell  me  that  they  were  unknown  —  that  they  commanded  no 
battalions,  determined  no  policies,  sat  in  no  military  councils,  rode  at  the  head 
of  no  regiments?  Be  it  so!  All  the  more  are  they  the  fitting  representatives 
of  you  and  me  —  the  people.  Never,  in  all  history,  I  venture  to  affirm,  was 
there  a  war  whose  aims,  whose  policy,  whose  sacrifices  were  so  absolutely  de 
termined  by  the  people,  that  great  body  of  the  unknown,  in  which,  after  all, 
lay  the  strength  and  power  of  the  Republic.  When  some  one  reproached 
Lincoln  for  the  seeming  hesitancy  of  his  policy,  he  answered  —  great  seer  as 
well  as  great  soul  that  he  was  —  "I  stand  for  the  people.  I  am  going  just  as 
fast  and  as  far  as  I  can  feel  them  behind  me!  " 

And  so,  as  we  come  here  to-day  and  plant  this  column,  consecrating  it  to  its 
enduring  dignity  and  honor  as  the  memorial  of  our  unknown  dead,  we  are 
doing,  as  I  can  not  but  think,  the  fittest  possible  deed  that  we  could  do.  These 
unknown  that  lie  about  us  here!  Ah!  what  are  they  but  the  peerless  repre 
sentatives,  elect  forever  by  the  deadly  gage  of  battle,  of  those  sixty  million  of 
people,  as  to-day  they  are,  whose  rights  and  liberties  they  achieved !  Unknown 
to  us  are  their  names;  unknown  to  them  was  the  greatness  and  the  glory  of 
their  deeds!  And  is  not  this,  brothers  of  New  York,  the  story  of  the  world's 
best  manhood,  and  of  its  best  achievements?  The  work  by  the  great  unknown, 
for  the  great  unknown  —  the  work  that,  by  fidelity  in  the  ranks,  courage  in 
the  trenches,  obedience  to  the  voice  of  command,  patience  at  the  picket-line, 
vigilance  at  the  outpost,  is  done  by  that  great  host  that  bear  no  splendid  insignia 
of  rank,  and  figure  in  no  commander's  despatches,  this  work,  with  its  largest 
and  incalculable  and  unforeseen  consequences,  for  a  whole  people, —  is  not  thi, 
work,  which  we  are  here  to-day  to  commemorate,  at  once  the  noblest  and  mos 
vast?  Who  can  tell  us,  now,  the  names,  even,  of  those  that  sleep  about  us  here 
and  who  of  them  could  guess  on  that  eventful  day  when  here  they  gave  their 
lives  for  duty  fend  their  country,  how  great  and  how  far-reaching  would  be  the 
victory  they  should  win? 

And  thus  we  learn,  my  brothers,  where  a  nation's  strength  resides.  When 
the  German  Emperor,  after  the  Franco-Prussian  War,  was  crowned  in  the 
Salles  des  Glaces  at  Versailles,  on  the  ceiling  of  the  great  hall  in  which  that 
memorable  ceremony  took  place,  there  were  inscribed  the  words :  "  The  King- 
Rules  by  his  Own  Authority."  "  Not  so,"  said  that  grand  man  of  blood  and 
iron  who,  most  of  all,  had  welded  Germany  into  one  mighty  people  —  "  not 
so;  'the  Kings  of  the  earth  shall  rule  under  me,  saith  the  Lord.'  Trusting  in 
the  tried  love  of  the  whole  people,  we  leave  the  country's  future  in  God's 
hands!  "  Ah!  my  countrymen,  it  was  not  this  man  or  that  man  that  saved  our 
Republic  in  its  hour  of  supreme  peril.  Let  us  not,  indeed,  forget  her  great 
leaders,  great  generals,  great  statesmen,  and  greatest  among  them  all,  her  great 
martyr  and  President,  Lincoln.  But  there  was  no  one  of  these  men  who  would 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  245 

not  have  told  us  that  which  we  may  all  see  so  plainly  now,  that  it  was  not  they 
who  saved  the  country,  but  the  host  of  her  great  unknown.  These  with  their 
steadfast  loyalty,  these  with  their  cheerful  sacrifices,  and  these,  most  of  all,  with 
their  simple  faith  in  God  and  in  the  triumph  of  His  right  —  these  they  were  who 
saved  us!  Let  us  never  cease  to  honor  them;  and  let  us  see  to  it  that  neither 
we  nor  they  shall  ever  cease  to  trust  in  that  over-reaching  Providence  that  all 
along  has  led  them.  This  field,  you  know,  was  not  the  field  originally  chosen 
by  Meade  and  his  lieutenants  whereon  to  fight  this  battle.  The  historian  whom 
I  have  already  quoted  tells  us  that  "  While  Meade  was  sending  his  advance  to 
occupy  Gettysburg,  it  was  with  no  thought  of  fighting  there.  It  seemed  to 
him  merely  a  point  from  which  to  observe  and  occupy  the  enemy's  advance  and 
mask  his  own  movements  to  what  seemed  to  him  a  better  line  in  the  rear." 
"  But  in  spite  of  these  prudent  intentions  *  *  *  two  formidable  armies 
were  approaching  each  other  at  their  utmost  speed,  all  through  the  3Oth  of 
June,  driven  by  the  irresistible  laws  of  human  action  —  or,  let  us  reverently 
say,  by  the  hand  of  Providence."  Yes,  by  the  hand  of  Providence.  "  Trust 
ing  in  the  tried  love  of  the  whole  people,"  said  Bismarck,  "  we  leave  the  coun 
try's  future  "  in  the  people's  hands !  Nay,  but  "  in  God's  hands !  "  "  If  I  did 
not  believe,"  said  this  great  leader  of  his  time,  "  in  the  Divine  government  of 
the  world,  I  would  not  serve  my  country  another  hour.  Take  my  faith  from 
me,  and  you  take  my  country  too !  "  Pregnant  words,  not  alone  for  these 
times,  but  for  all  times.  It  was  God  in  the  people  that  made  the  heroism 
which,  in  these  unknown  ones,  we  are  here  to-day  to  honor.  It  must  be  for 
ever,  God  in  and  with  the  people  that  shall  make  the  nation  great  and  wise 
and  strong  for  any  emergency. 

In  that  faith,  men  and  brethren,  we  come  here  to  rear  this  monument  and  to 
lay  the  tribute  of  our  love  and  gratitude  upon  these  graves.  May  no  alien  nor 
vandal  hand  ever  profane  their  grand  repose  who  slumber  here !  And  when 
the  sons  of  freedom,  now  unborn,  through  generations  to  come,  shall  gather 
here  to  sing  again  the  praises  of  these  unknown  martyrs  for  the  flag,  may  they 
kneel  down  beside  these  graves  and  swear  anew  allegiance  to  their  God,  their 
country,  and  the  right  1 


REMARKS   OF   HIS   EXCELLENCY,   ROBERT   E.   PATTISON, 
GOVERNOR  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

GOVERNOR  FLOWER,  GENERAL  SICKLES,  PATRIOTS  OF  NEW  YORK: 

We  bid  you  welcome  to  Pennsylvania  to-day.  We  are  perfectly  willing, 
upon  this  occasion,  at  this  hour  to  be  designated  as  "  New  Yorkers/' 

I  am  sure  I  express  the  sentiment  of  the  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  men  who  went  from  Pennsylvania,  as  also  that  of  the  population  of 
to-day,  when  I  give  expression  of  welcome  to  you.  It  is  not  the  mere  formal 
sentiment  of  welcome  but  it  is  the  spirit  of  cordiality,  spoken  from  the  bottom 
of  the  heart. 


246  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

We  stand  with  you  uncovered,  to-day,  in  the  presence  of  this  monument  you 
are  here  to  dedicate.  As  the  great  Lincoln  said  upon  an  occasion  nearly  thirty 
years  ago,  standing  almost  within  the  sound  of  my  voice:  "  In  a  larger  sense," 
said  he,  "  we  can  not  dedicate,  we  can  not  consecrate,  we  can  not  hallow  this 
place.  The  brave  men  who  gave  their  lives  have  dedicated  it  beyond  our 
power  to  add  or  to  detract." 

As  I  speak  to  you  to-day,  I  would  summon  the  spirit  of  the  great  com 
manders;  I  would  summon  the  spirits  of  the  departed,  and  let  them  speak 
from  this  platform.  In  their  absence,  I  would  command  the  voices  of  the 
men  \vho  survived  and  are  here  to-day,  to  speak  of  their  work,  of  their 
struggles,  and  their  labor  to  maintain  and  preserve  the  Union. 

There  is  one  here  from  Pennsylvania,  who  upon  this  field,  thirty  years  ago, 
at  a  critical  period  in  the  struggle  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  performed  a 
service  to  the  nation  that  never  can  be  repaid.  I  refer  to  the  distinguished 
Pennsylvania  soldier,  General  Gregg.  He  is  here  to  speak  to  you  as  he  spoVt 
on  that  day. 

While  I  rejoice  with  you  upon  this  occasion  in  the  honor  which  you  are  paying 
to  your  distinguished  dead,  I  can  not  but  be  impressed  with  the  lessons  which 
ought  to  go  out  from  here.  The  men  of  1776  fought,  suffered  and  died  to  estab 
lish  this  nation.  Generations  succeeding  them,  honored,  loved  and  revered  their 
presence  so  long  as  they  survived.  The  older  men  can  recall,  as  the  tottering 
form  of  the  survivor  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle  lingered  among  us,  how 
we  loved  him,  how  we  honored  him,  how  we  respected  him.  So  let  me  say  to 
you,  veterans  of  the  war  of  1861,  that  the  same  love,  the  same  regard  and  the 
same  reverence,  which  characterized  the  people  of  America  for  the  soldiers  of 
1776,  will  characterize  them,  with  regard  to  the  soldiers  of  1861.  Don't  think 
for  one  moment  that  there  is  any  doubt  as  to  the  sentiment  in  any  American 
heart  as  to  the  soldier  of  our  late  War. 

Mr.  Lincoln  said,  in  his  last  message,  when  he  spake  with  words  of  prophecy : 
"  Our  work  is  now  to  heal  the  wounds  and  to  care  for  the  men  who  bore  the 
brunt  of  battle,  their  widows  and  orphans." 

So,  as  we  remember  the  principles  of  our  fathers  and  as  we  dedicate  our 
selves  to  those  principles,  let  us  at  the  same  time,  as  citizens  of  this  great  nation, 
dedicate  ourselves  to  care  for  and  to  perpeiuate  the  memory  of  the  men  who 
made  it  possible  for  us  to  have  such  a  country  as  we  now  enjoy. 


NEW  YORK  DAY  AT  GETTYSBURG. 
By  Col.  DE  WITT  C.  SPRAGUE. 

I. 

E'en  thirty  times  the  year  has  ceaseless  run 
Her  rounded  course  since  Gettysburg  beheld 

The  awful  pageantry  of  war,  the  dun 

Of  battle  gather  on  her  hills  where  swelled 

The  bloody  tide  and  bellowed  hoarse  the  giant  gun. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  247 

Through  mist  and  cloud  which  melted  fast  away 

That  summer  sun  in  blazing  splendor  broke, 
Throwing  his  rays  where  mighty  legions  lay, 

Which  morning  drum  and  trumpet  soon  awoke, 
And  marshalled  into  ranks  of  battle's  dread  array. 

Freedom  along  the  ridge  —  the  rock-browed  — 

Far  through  the  vale  her  rocky  bulwark  formed, 
And  waved  her  starry  banner  high  and  proud, 

Where  soon  the  thundering  combat  surged  and  stormed, 
And  with  its  screaming,  burning  bolts  red  furrows  plowed. 

II. 
Here  comrades  fought  and  fell,  whose  memory 

We  fain  would  honor;  and  to-day  we  bring 
Affection's  sacred  token,  although  we 

Can  not  but  feel  our  pious  offering 
Is  feebly  wrought,  and  nobler,  worthier  far  should  be. 

We  know  the  world  of  what  we  say  will  take 

But  little  note  and  not  remember  long; 
Yet  what  they  did  forever  here  will  wake 

Its  voice  of  praise  in  eloquence  and  song  — 
(Like  this,  in  nobler  words,  immortal  Lincoln  spake.) 

The  humblest  soldier  is  remembered  now; 

Each  did  his  duty  in  his  proper  sphere, 
And  though  no  laurel  crowned  his  living  brow, 

The  land  he  fought  for  holds  his  memory  dear, 
While  comrades  at  his  tomb  with  reverence  bow. 

And  we  remember,  too,  that  lonely  grave, 

With  simple,  touching  epitaph,  "UNKNOWN!"  — 
But  freedom  knows  and  guards  her  nameless  brave, 

Blessing  their  dust,  she  claims  each  as  her  own, 
While  tears  from  eyes  unseen  the  flowers  above  it  lave. 

For  what  a  priceless  stake  these  dead  contended! 

Their  country's  life  —  the  hope  of  all  mankind. 
But  they  were  faithful  to  their  trust,  and  bended 

Their  souls  to  do  what  duty  had  assigned, 
Though  lowering  death  itself  over  them  there  impended. 

They  fell,  O  land,  redeemed  and  disenthralledl 

For  thee  the  measure  of  devotion  filled. 
They  felt  that  never  yet  had  men  been  called 

To  draw  the  sword  for  holier  cause.      They  thrilled 
The  Nation's  sinking  heart — Rebellion  fled  away  appalled! 


248  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

III. 

And  now  we  dedicate  a  monument 

To  these  heroic  men  who  nobly  stood 
Between  their  country  and  her  foes,  and  spent 

For  freedom  and  for  their  loyal  blood, 
That  hallows  evermore  the  ground  with  which  it  blent 

Mutely,  though  eloquently,  it  will  well,— 
More  eloquently  far  than  human  tongue  — 

The  story  of  their  patriotism  tell, 
And  in  these  vales,  these  hallowed  hills  among, 

At  morn,  as  Memnon  sang  of  old,  their  anthems  swell! 

And  yet  no  stoned  column  towering  high, 
The  royal  brave  who  struggled  here  require; 

Their  peans  heaven-born  freedom  shall  supply, 
For  them  old  Honor  strike  his  loftiest  lyre. 

Their  monuments  are  glorious  deeds  that  can  not  diel 

They  rear  themselves  a  living  monument, 
Who  for  their  country  fight  and  die  for  her; 

That 's  hallowed  ground  with  which  their  dust  is  blent, 
Earth's  tenderest  bosom  is  their  sepulchre; 

For  them  with  grateful  tears  their  countrymen  lament. 

Though  perish  every  trophy  of  their  fame, 
Though  massive  column  crumble  all  away, 

Still  their  proud  memory  would  live  on  the  same, 
Preserved  and  honored  to  the  latest  day 

In  human  hearts,  where  freedom  keeps  her  vestal  flame! 

IV. 

O   Gettysburg!  forever  more  thy  fame 
With  freedom's  proud  achievements  will  be  found; 

And  grateful  patriots  with  glad  acclaim 
Will  point  to  thee  as  consecrated  ground, 

Nor  Marathon  nor  Bunker  Hill  is  holier  name. 

Yes,  consecrated  ground  and  doubly  blest; 

For  here  the  Nation's  periled  life  was  saved. 
And  here  her  faithful  children  honored  rest, 

Who  for  her  sake  the  deadly  conflict  braved, 
And  rushed  to  death  as  back  the  stubborn  foe  was  pressed! 

Yet,  Gettysburg,  e'en  while  I  sing  to-day, 
My  cheeks  are  burning  with  the  sense  of  shame, 

For  I  behold  how  Speculation's  sway 

Has  tarnished  deep  the  beauty  of  thy  fame  — 

Rudely,  with  greedy  hand  thy  treasures  torn  away! 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  249 

Here  Freedom's  heritage  is  bought  and  sold, 

Her  sacred  precincts  made  a  selfish  mart, 
Where  Desecration,  now  grown  proud  and  bold, 

May  practice  all  unchecked  the  Vandal's  art, 
Despoiling  even  hallowed  scenes  for  lust  of  gold. 

O  Nation  saved  through  blood!  North,  South,  East,  West! 

O  Southern   Gray!     O    Comrades   everywhere! 
(Even  these  loyal  dead  mutely  protest) 

O  gallant  chiefs  whose  brows  the  laurel  bear, 
Save  Gettysburg,  and  her  Despoiler's  hand  arrest! 

Tread  softly!      Freedom's  voice  hath  blessed  this  ground. 

Here  sleep  her  children.      Never,  never  more 
The  rolling  drum  will  call,  or  bugle  sound, 

Or  them  alarm  the  cannon's  awful  roar  — 
Sleep  on  in  peace,  O  honored  dead,  in  peace  profound! 

V. 
Dear  natal  State,  thy  loyal  sons  have  bled 

On  many  a  glorious  field  for  Freedom's  right; 
Whether  into  the  deadly  breach  they  led 

To  break  the  Tyrant's  or  Rebellion's  might, 
They  won  an  honored  place  with  earth's  illustrious  dead. 

Thy  dead  rest  well,  but  oh,  thy  living  brave, 

The  maimed,  the  crippled,  wrecked  in  health  are  there! 

Naught  can  restore  what  they  so  freely  gave  — 
These  claim  thy  warm  solicitude  and  care. 

O,  let  them  not  as  mendicants  thy  bounty  crave  I 

My  country,  thou  canst  never  more  forget 

The  priceless  service  they  did  render  theel 
Thou  never  canst  repay  the  mighty  debt, 

Yet  thou  canst  ever  just  and  generous  be 
To  them  who  saved;  let  them  their  sufferings  ne'er  regret. 

All  tenderly,  my  country,  should  thou  guard 

Widow  and  orphan  of  thy  loyal  dead. 
The  lot  of  many  a  one  is  sad  and  hard. 

Oh,  stand  thou  in  the  lost  protector's  stead, 
And  let  his  child  or  widow  be  thy  cherished  ward. 

VI. 
Our  morn  and  noon  are  gone  and  fast  the  sun 

Of  life  rolls  downward  to  the  close  of  day. 
Oh,  may  we  feel  our  duties  are  well  done; 

That  when  the  final  tattoo  sounds,  we  may 
Lie  calmly  down,  conscious  an  honored  name  is  won. 


250  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

O,  Sun  of  Peace,  shine  ever  on  our  land! 

O,  Freedom,  with  thy  sacred  aegis  guard! 
O,  Truth  and  Justice,  rule  from  strand  to  strand! 

O,  Light  of  Progress,  lead  us  still  onward! 
O,  God!  let  us  at  all  times  feel  Thy  favoring  Hand! 


ADDRESS   BY 
HON.  ROSWELL  P.  FLOWER,  GOVERNOR  OF  NEW  YORK. 

MR.  CHAIRMAN,  COMRADES  AND  FRIENDS: 

This  impressive  scene  is  the  homage  which  a  great  State  renders  to  its 
martyred  sons.  The  bidding  of  6,000,000  people  has  sent  us  here  to  dedicate 
their  token  of  love  to  the  memory  of  their  soldier  dead.  The  battle  in  which 
they  fought  was  one  of  the  great  battles  of  history;  the  cause,  the  highest  for 
which  human  blood  was  ever  shed.  The  scenes  of  bravery  and  hardship  are 
embedded  in  the  memory  of  every  American ;  and  the  victory  here  won  deter 
mined  the  integrity  of  the  Union,  and  insured  the  establishment  of  human 
freedom  in  this  land.  For  participation  in  such  a  conflict  and  in  aiding  the 
accomplishment  of  such  ends,  no  homage  of  a  grateful  State  is  too  profuse, 
no  mark  of  appreciation  is  too  generous,  no  expression  of  love  is  undeserved. 

But  in  this  presence  and  amid  these  hallowed  surroundings,  as  I  look  upon 
the  scarred  faces  and  maimed  bodies  among  these  thousands  who  accompanied 
us  from  our  State  to  be  present  at  these  ceremonies,  and  to  visit  once  more 
the  battle  ground  they  helped  to  win,  I  feel  that  out  of  her  boundtess  gratitude 
and  generosity  our  great  State  could  have  rendered  no  more  grateful  tribute 
to  the  memory  of  those  who  sleep  beneath  the  sod  at  Gettysburg,  than  to  send 
hither,  as  she  has,  7,000  living  survivors  of  that  terrible  conflict  which  took 
place  on  these  hills  and  in  these  valleys.  You,  comrades,  of  all  the  living,  are 
most  deserving  to  be  here  to-day.  The  great  State  which  I  have  the  honor  to 
represent  on  this  occasion,  and  which  we  are  both  proud  to  call  our  home, 
delights  to  pay  this  mark  of  respect  and  appreciation  to  your  services.  To 
you,  equally  with  those  who  sleep  around  us,  belongs  the  praise  and  gratitude 
of  your  State  and  Nation.  Thirty  years  ago  to-day,  30,000  of  you,  all 
from  New  York,  risked  your  lives,  with  your  countrymen  from  other  States, 
on  this  field  against  the  attack  of  as  brave  an  enemy  as  ever  fought, —  ready  to 
pour  out  your  blood  to  save  your  country.  Over  a  thousand  of  that  noble  host 
fell  in  battle  and  are  buried  beneath  these  stones.  Some  gave  up  their  lives 
in  other  battles,  and  Time,  the  great  reaper,  has  gathered  thousands  of  others 
to  their  last  resting  place.  Only  you  are  left,  and  many  of  you  are  bowed  and 
gray.  A  few  years  and  you  will  join  your  comrades  on  the  other  side  of  the 
great  river.  But  you  have  the  proud  satisfaction  of  knowing  what  those  of 
your  fellows  who  went  before  do  not  know, —  unless  from  Heaven  they  look 
down  upon  these  exercises, —  that  neither  time  nor  space  nor  events  have 
effaced  from  the  hearts  of  your  countrymen,  or  ever  can  efface,  a  profound 
sense  of  admiration  and  gratitude  for  the  patriotic  service  which  you  rendered 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  251 

to  mankind.  The  ceremonies  of  to-day  have  this  double  significance  —  that  in 
commemorating  the  virtues  of  the  dead  they  bear  vivid  testimony  to  the  heroism 
of  the  living. 

Broad  and  liberal  in  her  judgment  as  is  the  Empire  State,  tolerant  as  she  is 
of  radicalism  in  political  or  religious  ideas,  her  heart  has  ever  beat  true  to 
the  harmony  of  the  Union,  and  she  has  ever  steadfastly  adhered  to 
the  maintenance  and  preservation  of  the  Federal  system  in  all  its 
original  integrity.  Hej  patriotism  has  never  been  halting  or  sparing. 
Within  her  borders  the  first  scheme  for  a  Union  of  the  colonies  in  resistance 
to  the  tyranny  of  Great  Britain  was  formulated.  Her  territory  was  the  scene 
of  many  struggles  of  the  Revolution.  Her  sons  were  foremost  in  constructing 
the  Federal  government.  So,  when  Sumter  was  fired  on  and  disunion  threat 
ened  the  proud  nation,  which  she  had  done  so  much  to  establish  and  build  up, 
the  Empire  State  was  found  in  the  van  of  patriots,  pouring  out  men  and  money 
and  inspiration  to  preserve  the  Union  intact  and  inviolable.  No  sooner  had 
the  President  of  the  United  States  issued  his  proclamation  on  April  15,  1861, 
calling  on  the  States  for  militia,  than  New  York  responded  with  men  and  arms. 
The  quota  assigned  to  New  York  was  13,280  men,  and  on  the  day  following 
the  President's  proclamation  Governor  Morgan  ordered  all  the  available  organ 
ized  militia,  numbering  19,000  men,  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  to 
Washington;  while,  on  the  same  day,  the  Legislature  passed  a  bill  providing 
for  the  enrollment  of  30,000  volunteers  to  serve  two  years,  and  appropriating 
$3,000,000  for  expenses.  Within  a  week  from  the  firing  on  Sumter,  the 
Seventh  Regiment  left  New  York  for  Washington,  and  within  three  weeks 
46,000  armed  men  had  gone  from  the  State  to  fight  for  their  country.  In  New 
York  city  200,000  men  and  women  met  in  mass  meeting  to  take  action  on  the 
affront  to  the  American  flag,  and  the  wave  of  popular  indignation  there  started 
swept  like  a  tide  through  the  loyal  States.  The  city  of  New  York  appropriated 
ti  million  dollars  toward  suppressing  the  Rebellion,  besides  the  hundreds  of 
thousands  subscribed  by  individual  citizens.  Nearly  a  score  of  the  members  of 
the  Legislature  enlisted  and  went  to  the  front. 

Here  was  a  splendid  demonstration  of  the  spirit  of  the  people  and  the 
soldierly  qualities  of  the  organized  militia.  Throughout  the  war  this  exhibi 
tion  of  patriotism  was  continued.  Under  Governor  Seymour  tens  of  thousands 
of  men  were  put  into  the  field, —  so  many  in  fact  that  when  the  New  York  riots 
broke  out  there  were  but  few  companies  of  militia  remaining  in  the  State,  and 
the  rioters  had  their  own  way  for  a  time.  Because  Seymour  went  to  the 
metropolis  and  in  seeking  to  suppress  disorder  addressed  the  disturbers  as 
"  my  friends,"  he  was  maligned  by  opponents  for  lack  of  sympathy  with  the 
Union  cause.  But  Seymour's  sympathy  was  demonstrated  in  a  more  practical 
way.  He  had  sent  all  available  State  troops  to  fight  for  the  Union  at  the 
seat  of  war,  and  was  not  looking  for  enemies  to  fight  in  his  own  State.  In 
all,  New  York  furnished  for  the  defence  of  the  Union  400,000  men,  or  over 
one-fifth  of  her  entire  population.  The  cost  to  her  in  actual  outlay  of  money 
is  conservatively  estimated  at  about  $200,000,000,  while  the  loss  of  human  life 
in  actual  service  comprised  52,933  men.  Patriotism  is  not  usually  measured 
by  statistics,  but  figures  such  as  these,  the  equal  of  which  no  other  State  can 


252  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

present,  must  forever  stand  as  a  monument  of  New  York's  courageous  devotion 
to  Liberty  and  Union. 

In  the  great  battle  fought  on  this  hallowed  ground,  New  York's  part  was 
prominent,  and  the  bravery  of  her  men  conspicuous.  No  small  share  of  the 
Union  victory  is  hers.  Most  of  the  heroes  of  the  struggle  were  her  sons.  A 
third  of  the  soldiers  on  the  Federal  side  were  in  New  York  regiments.  In 
cavalry,  artillery,  and  infantry  organizations,  equivalent  to  seventy-three  regi 
ments,  New  York  had  not  much  less  than  30,000  enlisted  men  and  officers  on 
the  field.  The  battle  was  opened  in  the  morning  of  July  ist  by  videttes  and 
skirmishers  of  the  Eighth  New  York  Cavalry,  and  Buford's  Cavalry,  of  which 
the  Sixth,  Eighth  and  Ninth  New  York  formed  part.  They  engaged  the 
enemy  stubbornly  until  the  infantry  arrived,  and  then  effectively  supported 
the  latter  during  the  day.  The  division  of  James  S.  Wadsworth,  a  son  of 
New  York,  of  the  First  Corps,  arrived  first  on  the  field,  and  came  to  the 
relief  of  the  cavalry.  In  this  division  there  were  the  Seventy-sixth,  Eighty- 
fourth,  Ninety-fifth,  and  One  hundred  and  forty-seventh  New  York  Volun 
teers.  The  latter  regiment  lost  that  forenoon  207  killed  and  wounded  out  of 
380  men;  the  Seventy-sixth  lost  169  killed  and  wounded  out  of  375  men; 
while  the  Eighty-fourth  and  Ninety-fifth  Regiments,  in  a  charge  with 
the  Sixth  Wisconsin,  captured  nearly  the  whole  of  a  rebel  brigade.  About 
the  time  this  occurred,  Gen.  Abner  Doubleday,  of  our  State,  and  the  Second 
and  Third  Divisions  of  the  First  Corps,  the  former  commanded  by  John  C. 
Robinson,  also  a.  New  Yorker,  and  in  them  the  Eightieth,  Eighty-third,  Ninety- 
seventh,  and  One  hundred  and  fourth  New  York  Volunteers,  arrived  on  the 
field,  and  at  once  took  part  in  the  struggle.  In  one  attack  on  a  brigade  of 
Robinson's  Division,  the  Eighty-third  and  Ninety-seventh  received  high  com 
mendation,  and  the  latter  regiment  captured  a  battle  flag.  The  Eightieth, 
Ninety-fourth,  and  One  hundred  and  fourth  are  also  praised  in  the  official 
reports,  and  General  Robinson  says:  "  Soldiers  never  fought  better  or  inflicted 
severer  blows  upon  the  enemy."  In  this  day's  fighting,  Reynolds'  Batteries, 
L  and  E,  of  the  First  New  York  Artillery,  bore  their  share  and  earned  deserved 
commendation. 

About  the  time  all  of  the  First  Corps  was  engaged,  the  Eleventh  Corps  in 
which  were  Battery  I,  of  the  First  Artillery,  the  Thirteenth  Battery,  the 
Forty-first,  Forty-fifth,  Fifty-fourth,  Sixty-eighth,  One  hundred  and  nine 
teenth,  One  hundred  and  thirty-fourth,  One  hundred  and  thirty-sixth,  One 
hundred  and  fifty-fourth  and  One  hundred  and  fifty-seventh  Regiments, 
New  York  Volunteers,  arrived  and  took  position  and  their  part  in  the  engage 
ment.  Francis  C.  Barlow,  von  Steinwehr,  and  Carl  Schurz,  all  New  Yorkers, 
commanded  the  divisions  of  this  corps. 

The  fighting  of  this,  the  first  day,  was  of  a  desperate  character,  and  those 
engaged,  deserve  all  praise  for  their  bravery.  While  they  were  compelled  to 
give  way,  they  finally  held  the  position  at  which  the  battles  of  the  succeeding 
days  were  fought. 

With  the  Commanding  General  of  the  Arrny  of  the  Potomac,  General  Meade, 
there  arrived  on  the  field  of  battle  his  Chief  of  Staff,  Gen.  Daniel  Butterfield^ 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  253 

of  our  State,  who  had  served  not  only  in  our  volunteers,  but  also  in  New 
York's  militia  before  the  war  commenced. 

By  the  forenoon  of  the  second  day  all  of  the  Third  Corps,  commanded  by 
General  Sickles,  had  reached  the  field,  the  First  Division  arriving  there  on  the 
evening  of  the  first.  In  the  afternoon  it  was  attacked  by  a  superior  force, 
and  a  furious  conflict  began.  Our  State  was  represented  in  this  corps  not 
only  by  its  gallant  commander,  but  also  by  Gens.  Joseph  B.  Carr,  J.  H.  Hobart 
Ward,  and  Charles  K.  Graham,  the  Fourth  Battery,  and  Battery  D,  First 
Artillery,  the  Fortieth,  Seventieth,  Seventy-first,  Seventy-second,  Seventy-third, 
Seventy-fourth,  Eighty-sixth,  One  hundred  and  twentieth,  and  One  hundred 
and  twenty-fourth  Regiments  of  infantry.  I  need  not  remind  you  that  it 
was  here  in  this  plucky  fight  our  brave  presiding  officer  lost  his  leg.  His 
courage  won  for  him  immortal  fame,  and  the  conduct  of  his  troops  found 
deserved  eulogy  in  the  reports  of  the  division  and  brigade  commanders. 

The  Fifth  Corps  arrived  in  the  forenoon  of  this  day,  and  with  it  the  Twelfth, 
Forty-fourth,  One  hundred  and  fortieth  and  One  hundred  and  forty-sixth 
Infantry,  and  Battery  C,  of  the  First  Artillery,  of  the  New  York  Volunteers. 
Of  its  general  officers,  Romeyn  B.  Ayres,  and  Stephen  H.  Weed  were  also  of 
New  York.  In  coming  to  the  support  of  the  Third  Corps,  the  Fifth  took  pos 
session  of  the  Round  Top  Ridge,  a  most  important  position,  and  maintained 
their  hold.  The  loss  suffered  was  very  severe,  and  amon-j  the  killed  was  Gen 
eral  Weed.  The  corps  commander  reports  that  the  men  of  the  Fifth  Corps 
sustained  their  reputation. 

The  Second  Corps  arrived  on  the  battlefield  on  the  morning  of  the  2d, 
and  was  placed  in  position.  Its  First  Division  assisted  the  Third  and  Fifth 
Corps  in  the  battle  of  the  afternoon;  in  fact,  nearly  the  whole  corps  became 
engaged  in  repelling  the  enemy's  attack,  made  originally  on  the  Third  Corps. 
The  Tenth,  Thirty-ninth,  Forty-second,  Fifty-second,  Fifty-seventh,  Fifty-ninth, 
Sixty-first,  Sixty-third,  Sixty-fourth,  Sixty-sixth,  Sixty-ninth,  Eighty-second, 
Eighty-eighth,  One  hundred  and  eighth,  One  hundred  and  eleventh,  One 
hundred  and  twenty-fifth,  and  One  hundred  and  twenty-sixth  Regiments  of 
infantry,  Battery  B,  First  Artillery,  and  the  Fourteenth  Battery,  served  in  this 
corps,  and  Gen.  Samuel  K.  Zook,  a  New  Yorker,  was  killed  in  the  conflict. 
Gen.  Alexander  S.  Webb,  another  New  Yorker,  also  served  in  this  corps. 

The  Sixth  Corps  arrived  on  the  afternoon  of  the  2d,  and  worthily  assisted 
the  Fifth  Corps  in  its  struggle  with  the  enemy.  In  this  corps,  were  the 
New  York  Thirty-third,  Forty-third,  Forty-ninth,  Sixty-second,  Sixty-fifth, 
Sixty-seventh,  Seventy-seventh,  One  hundred  and  twenty-first,  and  One  hun 
dred  and  twenty-second  Regiments  of  infantry,  the  First  and  Third  Batter 
ies,  and  Gens.  Joseph  J.  Bartlett  and  Alexander  Shaler,  of  this  State. 

Gen.  Henry  W.  Slocum,  whose  noble  heroism  and  military  skill  his  country 
honors  equally  with  the  Empire  State,  commanding  the  Twelfth  Corps  on  this 
occasion,  had  arrived  and  taken  position  on  the  evening  of  the  ist.  On  the 
2d,  in  the  afternoon,  portions  of  his  corps  moved  to  the  assistance  of  the 
Third  and  Fifth  Corps,  and  soon  thereafter  the  remainder  of  the  corps,  com 
manded  by  Gen.  George  S.  Greene,  another  New  Yorker,  who  is  also  with  us 
to-day,  had  a  severe  engagement  of  nearly  three  hours'  duration,  but,  sup- 


254  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

ported  by  parts  of  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps,  held  its  ground.  New  York's 
representatives  in  this  corps  were,  besides  Generals  Slocum  and  Greene,  the 
Sixtieth,  Seventy-eighth,  One  hundred  and  second,  One  hundred  and  seventh, 
One  hundred  and  twenty-third,  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh,  One  hun 
dred  and  forty-fifth,  One  hundred  and  forty-ninth,  and  One  hundred  and 
fiftieth  Regiments  of  infantry,  and  Battery  M,  of  the  First  Artillery. 

Gregg's  cavalry  division,  in  which  served  the  Second,  Fourth,  and  Tenth 
New  York,  arrived  on  the  2d,  and  had  a  severe  engagement  in  the  afternoon. 

Kilpatrick's  cavalry  division  (Kilpatrick  was  a  New  York  volunteer  before 
being  promoted  brigadier-general),  in  which  the  Fifth  New  York  served,  ar 
rived  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  2d,  and  also  had  a  successful  engagement 
with  the  enemy. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  3d,  the  whole  of  General  Slocum's  Twelfth 
Corps  having  been  united  during  the  night,  returned  the  attack  of  the 
previous  evening,  and  the  ground  lost  was  fully  regained;  two  brigades  of 
the  Sixth  and  some  regiments  of  the  First  Corps  supported  this  attack.  The 
Sixtieth  New  York  captured  two  battle  flags. 

Soon  after  noon  of  this  day,  the  enemy  opened  a  tremendous  artillery  fire, 
and  the  Artillery  Reserve,  in  which  were  the  Fifth,  Tenth,  Eleventh  and  Fif 
teenth  Batteries,  and  Batteries  G  and  K,  of  the  First  Artillery,  which  had  ar 
rived  on  the  2d,  and  portions  of  which  were  engaged  that  day,  took  part  with 
the  other  batteries  in  reply  to  this  cannonade,  and  in  the  final  repulse  of  the 
charge  which  followed  it.  The  report  of  the  chief  of  artillery  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  speaks  well  of  their  work  and  bravery. 

About  two  hours  after  the  commencement  of  the  artillery  fire,  the  enemy 
advanced  and  charged  the  position  held  by  the  Second  Corps.  They  made 
a  gallant  charge,  but  were  finally  repulsed  at  all  points.  Of  the  troops  who 
directly  assisted  in  the  repulse,  the  Eightieth  New  York  was  especially  men 
tioned;  the  Eighty-second  captured  two,  the  Forty-second,  one,  and  the  Fifty- 
ninth,  two  battle  flags.  While  this  charge  was  made  principally  on  the  Second 
Corps,  there  were  engagements  all  along  our  line,  and  Kilpatrick's  Division, 
with  the  Fifth  Cavalry,  had  a  sanguinary  action  with  the  enemy.  Victory 
everywhere  rewarded  the  bravery  of  our  troops. 

I  make  no  excuse,  before  7,000  veteran  survivors,  for  recalling  the  proud 
parts  which  you  and  your  absent  associates  took  in  this  great  battle.  Before 
you,  I  need  but  state  the  bare  outlines  of  these  three  days'  engagements.  At 
every  point,  in  every  action,  the  men  of  the  Empire  State  were  found  in  the 
van,  doing  their  full  duty,  with  credit  to  themselves  and  the  State.  The 
daring  deeds  of  officers  and  men,  the  hairbreadth  escapes,  the  wounds, 
the  deaths,  the  miseries,  the  anguish,  the  courage,  the  hopes,  the  despair, 
the  triumphs, — -all  these  your  memory  recalls  more  vividly  than  brush 
could  paint  or  pen  narrate.  Sweet  to  you  must  be  the  proud  conscious 
ness  of  having  gone  down  into  the  Valley  of  Death  for  your  country's 
sake.  And  sweet  to  you  particularly  must  be  the  revived  memories  of  this 
field  since  you  have  been  spared  to  witness  the  fruition  of  its  hardships  and 
sorrows  in  a  restored  and  peaceful  Union. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  255 

To  us  of  maturer  age,  the  battles  of  the  Revolution  were  firmly  impressed  in 
our  memories  as  we  read  their  history,  not  by  gas  or  electric  light,  but  by  tal 
low  candle,  and  as  we  gazed  long  and  intently  at  the  pictures  of  the  heroes  and 
heroic  struggles  of  those  days.  The  picture  of  "  Old  Put."  riding  down  the 
steep  hill,  Washington  crossing  the  Delaware,  all  in  steel  engraving,  are  vividly 
impressed  on  my  mind  to-day.  But  no  picture  of  the  past  is  worthier  of  an 
honored  place  in  our  memories  than  this  of  to-day.  Here  are  Sickles,  and 
Slocum,  and  Butterfield,  and  Greene,  and  other  brave  officers,  and  this  mag 
nificent  background  of  7,000  New  York  veterans  —  all  joint  participants  in 
this  fight  for  the  Union,  and  all  sharers  in  its  glorious  triumphs.  Soon  they, 
too,  will  be  in  steel  plate,  and  our  children  will  revere  and  remember  those  who 
fought  for  our  freedom  and  won  it  100  years  ago. 

We  are  here  to-day  as  New  Yorkers,  bringing  sad  but  proud  associations 
to  the  celebration  of  the  deeds  of  neighbors  and  kinsmen  in  a  great  national 
battle;  but  we  are  on  the  territory  of  another  State,  and  we  are  here  to  turn 
over  to  the  custody  of  other  people  the  monuments  which  our  hands  have  built 
and  which  our  acts  to-day  dedicate.  But  not  to  strangers  do  we  confide  this 
token  of  our  love,  —  not  to  people  indifferent  to  the  sentiment  which  attaches 
to  our  action.  The  blood  of  Pennsylvanians  is  mingled  here  with  the  blood 
of  New  Yorkers.  The  memory  of  the  battle  is  sweetened  with  the  thought  of 
the  Christian  charity  \vhich  Pennsylvania's  sons  and  daughters  showed  toward 
the  dead  and  injured  on  this  field.  Gentle  hands  bound  the  wounds,  and  min 
istered  to  the  wants  of  our  mangled  comrades.  Sympathetic  hearts  sent  to 
many  a  sorrowing  home  the  last  messages  of  dying  soldiers.  The  deeds  of 
valor  in  the  battle  were  not  more  memorable  than  the  acts  of  self-sacrifice  among 
the  sufferings  of  the  wounded.  Charity  here  knew  neither  state  nor  section, 
neither  Union  nor  Confederate  soldiers,  but  suffused  its  tender  mercies  among 
all  alike. 

This  is  pre-eminently  the  battlefield  of  the  nation.  Men  of  nearly  every 
state  participated  in  its  action.  Nearly  every  state  contributed  to  the  exhi 
bitions  of  bravery,  and  no  less  brave  were  those  who  fought  in  the  Union  army 
than  those  who  followed  the  Confederate  flag,  and  fought  behind  their  superb 
leader,  General  Lee.  No  charge  in  martial  history  was  ever  more  daring  or 
courageous  than  that  of  Pickett's  men.  It  has  an  immortal  place  among  mili 
tary  annals. 

Around  us  sleep  the  dead  of  nearly  every  state.  The  same  green  sod  covers 
the  grave  of  Union  soldier  and  Confederate  soldier,  and  the  firm  texture 
which  nature  has  woven  over  the  dead  bodies  of  those  who  were  once  in  mortal 
conflict  here,  is  symbolic  of  that  close  feeling  of  affection,  sympathy  and  respect 
which  now  binds  together  the  people  of  the  North  and  South,  and  forgets,  in 
one  common,  fraternal  and  patriotic  impulse,  the  wrongs  and  injuries  of  days 
gone  by.  In  dedicating  these  monuments  to  our  own  heroes,  we  do  not 
forget  or  withhold  the  praise  due  to  the  heroes  of  sister  states,  but  in  our 
exercises  here  we  merely  reflect  the  attachment  and  respect  which  extend  to  all. 
We  have  always  — 

"  Love  and  tears  for  the  Blue, 
Tears  and  love  for  the  Gray." 


256  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Standing  here  on  this  ground  thirty  years  ago  next  November,  and  conse 
crating  this  burying  place  for  the  dead,  Abraham  Lincoln,  before  the  war  was 
yet  over,  in  what  has  been  called  the  most  eloquent  speech  of  his  life,  gave 
utterance  to  these  words. 

"  In  a  larger  sense  we  can  not  dedicate  —  we  can  not  consecrate  —  we  can 
not  hallow  —  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living  and  dead,  who  struggled 
here,  have  consecrated  it,  far  above  our  poor  power  to  add  or  detract.  The 
world  will  little  note,  nor  long  remember,  what  we  say  here.  It  is  for  us,  the 
living,  rather  to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished  work  which  they  who 
fought  here  have  thus  far  so  nobly  advanced.  It  is  rather  for  us  to  be  here 
dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before  us  —  that  from  these  honored 
dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to  that  cause  for  which  they  gave  the  last 
full  measure  of  devotion  —  that  we  have  highly  resolved  that  these  dead  shall 
not  have  died  in  vain  —  that  this  nation,  under  God,  shall  have  a  new  birth 
of  freedom  —  and  that  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people, 
shall  not  perish  from  the  earth." 

To  this  solemn  task  no  man  gave  truer  devotion  than  the  great  martyr  who 
uttered  this  sad  and  earnest  injunction.  Before  the  work  was  completed,  he 
was  taken  away.  He  was  only  allowed  to  behold  a  stricken  nation,  torn  by 
dissension,  wasted  by  war,  its  integrity  saved,  but  with  the  embers  of  civil  strife 
still  burning  and  complete  reconciliation  still  invisible.  You,  his  associates 
in  this  task,  have  been  spared  to  see  its  full  accomplishment.  To-day  the  Civil 
War  is  but  a  part  of  history.  Time  and  the  fraternal  instincts  of  our  people 
have  effaced  all  bitterness  and  discord.  Great  as  was  the  magnitude  of  the 
Rebellion,  terrible  as  it  was  in  its  effect,  the  great  lessons  which  it  taught  us 
was  to  future  ages  worth  the  teaching,  and  the  memory  which  it  left  will  be 
a  perpetual  warning.  For  generations  to  come  —  let  us  hope  forever  —  there 
can  never  be  in  this  country  another  civil  war.  The  ties  of  friendship  and  love 
are  now  too  closely  knit  together  to  permit  the  arraying  of  one  section  against 
another  in  deadly  conflict.  It  would  be  the  everlasting  shame  of  the  United 
States  if,  advanced  as  they  are  in  civilization  and  with  the  warning  of  the 
Rebellion  behind  them,  they  should  permit  any  difference  of  political  opinion 
to  lead  them  to  warfare.  We  are  confronted  with  dangers,  but  not  from  sec 
tional  conflicts.  Peace  and  order  will  be  threatened,  but  such  outbreaks  must 
necessarily  be  spasmodic,  and  the  strong  arm  of  the  law  will  be  put  forth  to 
quell  them.  For  this  purpose  we  must  equip  and  maintain  our  citizen  soldiers, 
our  State  militias,  in  sufficient  numbers  and  proper  discipline.  They  are  our 
mainstay  against  riot  and  disorder.  They  were  the  first  to  rush  to  the  defence 
of  the  Union,  and  were  the  nation's  main  reliance.  They  must  be  maintained 
and  encouraged,  not  for  the  cultivation  of  a  war-like  spirit,  but  for  the  preserva 
tion  of  peace  and  order.  The  existence  of  an  efficient  militia  prevents  the 
engendering  of  disorder,  not  by  use  of  weapons,  but  by  the  moral  presence  of 
military  discipline  and  strength.  We  need  our  militia  to  prevent  riots  as  well 
as  to  suppress  them. 

The  real  dangers  which  confront  us,  however,  are  not  from  martial  conflicts 
or  clash  of  arms.  They  operate  more  insidiously.  They  sap  our  moral 
strength  and  warp  our  political  ideas.  In  the  battle  against  these  enemies,  we 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  257 

are  all  soldiers  under  the  same  flag.  For  our  inspiration  we  come  to  these 
historic  scenes,  and  drink  anew  the  patriotism  which  springs  from  noble  deeds 
and  brave  words.  If  the  immediate  task  in  which  Lincoln  invited  your  co-op 
eration  thirty  years  ago  is  done,  the  banner  of  Liberty  and  Union  which  he 
carried  must  still  be  held  aloft,  and  the  nation  which  he  and  you  defended 
must  be  preserved  from  corruption  and  decay.  In  that  work,  let  the  memory 
of  Gettysburg  cheer  us  on  and  make  us  all  true  Americans,  consecrated  to 
America's  highest  welfare. 


258  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


REUNION  OF  GREENE'S  NEW  YORK  BRIGADE,  GETTYSBURG, 
PA.,  JULY  3,  1893.     (NEW  YORK  DAY.) 

ADDRESS  OF  Maj.  Gen.  HENRY  W.  SLOCUM. 
COMRADES: 

I  am  happy  to  meet  on  this  historic  ground  so  many  men  from  my 
own  State  who  fought  here  thirty  years  ago.  The  Empire  State  did  her 
full  share  on  this  field,  as  she  did  on  every  other  field  during  our  Civil  War. 
Since  the  close  of  the  war  she  has  never  failed  to  show  her  appreciation  of  the 
valor  of  her  sons  and  her  gratitude  for  the  services  performed  by  them.  In 
her  civil  service  she  has  given  them  preference  over  all  other  classes  of  her 
citizens.  She  has  established  within  her  own  borders  a  Home  where  the  old 
veteran  can  spend  his  declining  years  in  company  with  comrades;  she  has 
erected  on  this  field  a  beautiful  monument  to  mark  the  place  where  each  organi 
zation  fought ;  and  finally  she  has  wisely  and  generously  afforded  us  this  oppor 
tunity  to  meet  here  and  renew  the  ties  of  comradeship  on  the  ground  where 
the  fate  of  the  nation  was  decided. 

We  have  not  come  here  to  laud  New  York,  nor  to  boast  of  the  services  of 
our  own  corps.  We  have  not  come  here  to  rake  up  matters  of  controversy. 
All  these  matters  we  can  well  afford  to  leave  to  the  historian  and  the  military 
critic  of  the  future.  It  is  our  right  and  duty  to  speak  of  facts  known  to  us, 
and  let  others  pass  judgment  upon  them. 

On  June  27th,  thirty  years  ago,  our  corps  was  at  Middletown,  within  a 
short  march  of  Williamsport,  the  point  at  which  General  Lee  crossed  the 
Potomac.  On  that  day  I  received  from  General  Hooker  a  letter  directing  me 
to  hold  the  Twelfth  Corps  in  readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's  notice  to  Wil- 
liamsporL  General  Hooker  stated  that  it  was  his  intention  to  place  the  troops 
at  Harper's  Ferry  under  my  command,  and  throw  this  force  and  the  Twelfth 
Corps  on  General  Lee's  line  of  communication.  In  the  meantime,  he  would 
concentrate  the  other  corps  of  his  army  within  supporting  distance.  At  7 
o'clock  on  the  previous  evening,  General  Hooker  had  telegraphed  to  General 
Halleck,  asking  permission  to  evacuate  Maryland  Heights  and  use  the  garrison 
at  that  point  in  the  field.  At  10:30  on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  General  Hal 
leck  telegraphed  a  reply,  refusing  his  consent  to  the  removal  of  the  troops 
from  Maryland  Heights.  At  a  later  hour  on  the  same  day,  General  Hooker 
repeated  his  request,  saying:  "Ten  thousand  men  are  at  Harper's  Ferry,  in 
condition  to  take  the  field.  At  that  point  they  are  of  no  earthly  account.  All 
public  property  could  be  secured  to-night,  and  the  troops  marched  where  they 
would  be  of  some  service."  This  second  request  having  been  refused  by  Gen 
eral  Halleck,  General  Hooker  requested  to  be  relieved  from  command  of  the 
army. 

General  Lee's  report  of  his  operations  in  Pennsylvania  states  "  that  on  the 
27th  of  June,  Longstreet  and  Ewell  were  encamped  near  Chambers-burg. 
*  *  *  It  was  expected  that  as  soon  as  the  Federal  army  crossed  the  Potomac, 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  259 

General  Stuart  would  give  notice  of  its  movements;  and  nothing  having  been 
heard  from  him  since  our  entrance  into  Maryland,  it  was  inferred  that  it  had 
not  yet  left  Virginia.  Orders  were,  therefore,  given  to  move  upon  Harrisburg. 
*  The  advance  against  Harrisburg  was  arrested  by  the  intelligence 
received  from  a  scout  on  the  night  of  the  28th,  to  the  effect  that  the  army  of 
General  Hooker  had  crossed  the  Potomac  and  was  approaching  the  South 
Mountain.  To  deter  him  from  advancing  farther  west,  and  intercepting  our 
communication  with  Virginia,  it  was  determined  to  concentrate  our  army  east 
of  the  mountains." 

The  disposition  made  by  General  Hooker  of  his  army  undoubtedly  saved  Har 
risburg.  Had  the  request  of  General  Hooker  to  use  the  10,000  men  at  Harper's 
Ferry  been  granted,  that  force  and  our  corps  would  on  the  28th  of  June  have 
been  on  the  line  of  Lee's  communication,  with  ample  time  to  entrench.  That 
we  should  have  been  able  to  hold  our  position  till  General  Hooker  could  have 
brought  all  the  other  corps  to  our  assistance,  I  feel  very  confident. 

On  June  28th,  General  Meade  assumed  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac.  In  General  Halleck's  letter,  informing  General  Meade  of  his  assign 
ment  to  the  command  of  the  army,  Halleck  says :  "  Harper's  Ferry  and  its 
garrison  are  under  your  direct  orders;  you  are  authorized  to  remove  from 
command  and  send  from  your  army  any  officer  or  other  person  you  may  deem 
proper,  and  appoint  to  command  as  you  may  deem  expedient.  In  fine,  Gen 
eral,  you  are  intrusted  with  all  the  power  and  authority  which  the  President, 
Secretary  of  War,  or  the  General-in-Chief  can  confer  on  you,  and  you  may 
rely  upon  our  full  support."  With  the  unlimited  power  thus  granted  him, 
General  Meade,  without  a  moment's  delay,  did  the  very  thing  General  Hooker 
had  asked  permission  to  do;  and  before  retiring  to  rest,  the  order  for  the 
evacuation  of  Maryland  Heights  was  issued,  and  the  10,000  troops  doing  guard 
duty  at  that  point  were  brought  into  the  field  to  meet  Lee's  army. 

From  Middletown  our  corps  marched  via  Knoxville  and  Frederick  City, 
and  encamped  on  the  night  of  June  3Oth,  at  a  point  about  one  mile  from 
Littlestown,  on  the  road  leading  to  Hanover.  On  the  morning  of  July  ist, 
we  moved,  as  ordered  by  General  Meade,  to  Two  Taverns,  there  to  await 
further  orders.  On  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  while  resting  in  the  fields  along 
the  roadside,  a  citizen  came  down  the  road  leading  to  Gettysburg,  who  reported 
that  a  battle  was  being  fought  near  that  village.  Maj.  E.  W.  Guindon,  of  my 
staff,  with  part  of  the  cavalry  attached  to  corps  headquarters,  was  ordered 
at  once  to  Gettysburg  to  learn  the  truth  of  the  story.  We  had  not  heard  a 
sound  of  the  battle,  because  of  the  range  of  hills  between  us  and  Gettysburg, 
and  because  the  wind  was  blowing  to  the  north.  The  troops  were  ordered 
,  on  the  march  at  once,  and  while  on  the  road  to  this  place  my  staff  officer 
returned,  confirming  the  truth  of  the  story,  saying  that  he  had  met  General 
Hancock  and  General  Howard,  and  both  desired  the  Twelfth  Corps  to  be 
brought  to  the  field  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The  leading  division,  under  Gen 
eral  Geary,  was  placed  on  the  left  of  a  portion  of  the  First  Corps,  and  between 
it  and  Little  Round  Top.  The  First  Division  was  placed  temporarily  on  the 
high  ground  south  of  Rock  Creek,  and  west  of  the  Baltimore  Pike.  When 
General  Meade  arrived,  about  I  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  July  2d,  and  decided 


260  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

to  concentrate  his  army  at  Gettysburg,  the  two  divisions  of  the  Twelfth  Corps 
were  ordered  to  Gulp's  Hill,  and  the  line  where  we  now  stand  was  established. 
The  balance  of  the  night  and  part  of  the  2d  of  July  was  spent  in  constructing 
this  line  of  works,  which  has  been  so  well  preserved. 

When  the  attack  was  made  on  the  left  of  our  line,  along  Cemetery  Ridge, 
and  at  Little  Round  Top,  I  was  ordered  by  General  Meacle  to  move  the  entire 
Twelfth  Corps  to  the  support  of  the  left.  I  issued  the  order,  but  information 
came  to  me  from  both  General  Williams  and  General  Geary  that  the  enemy 
was  in  their  front  in  strong  force.  No  attack  had  as  yet  been  made  on  our 
right,  and  General  Meade  undoubtedly  thought  these  reports  exaggerated. 
I  urged  that  a  division  be  left  here  to  guard  the  line  held  by  the  corps,  but  as 
the  pressure  on  the  left  was  very  heavy,  and  as  portions  of  that  part  of  our 
line  had  been  pressed  back,  General  Meade  would  not  consent  to  leave  but  a 
brigade  to  defend  the  position  and  works  of  the  Twelfth  Corps.  For  this  im 
portant  work,  General  Greene's  brigade  was  selected.  It  consisted  of  five 
New  York  regiments  —  the  Sixtieth,  under  Col.  Abel  Godard,  the  Seventy- 
eighth,  under  Colonel  Haminerstein,  the  One  hundred  and  second,  under 
Col.  Lewis  R.  Stegman,  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh,  under  Col. 
David  Ireland,  and  One  hundred  and  forty-ninth,  under  Col.  Henry  A. 
Barnum.  The  brigade  had  but  1,350  effective  men  in  line.  While 
General  Greene  was  engaged  in  extending  his  men  so  as  to  defend  as 
much  as  possible  of  our  line,  he  was  vigorously  attacked  by  a  portion  of 
Swell's  Corps.  All  thought  of  defending  the  line  of  works  held  by  Williams' 
Division  was  abandoned.  General  Greene  threw  back  the  One  hundred  and 
thirty-seventh  New  York,  so  that  it  protected  to  some  extent  his  right  flank, 
and  it  did  good  work  against  the  enemy  occupying  the  entrenchments  of  Wil 
liams'  Division.  When  the  attack  commenced,  General  Greene  sent  to  Gen 
eral  Wadsworth,  of  the  First  Corps,  on  his  left,  and  to  General  Howard,  com 
manding  the  Eleventh  Corps,  for  assistance.  Both  these  officers  responded 
promptly  by  sending  to  him  the  Sixth  Wisconsin,  Colonel  Dawes;  the  Four 
teenth  Brooklyn,  Col.  E.  B.  Fowler;  the  One  hundred  and  forty-seventh  New 
York,  Major  Harney,  all  from  Wadsworth's  Division  of  the  First  Corps; 
also,  the  Eighty-second  Illinois,  Colonel  Salomon;  the  Forty-fifth  New  York, 
Colonel  von  Amsberg;  the  Sixty-first  Ohio,  Colonel  McGroarty  of  the  Elev 
enth  Corps.  Darkness  closed  the  contest,  and  preparations  on  our  part  for 
regaining  our  position  were  commenced  at  once.  The  First  Division  (Wil 
liams')  and  the  two  brigades  of  the  Second  were  ordered  to  return  to  this 
part  of  the  line.  Shaler's  Brigade  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  the  One  hundred  and 
twenty-second  New  York,  Colonel  Titus,  and  the  Fourteenth  Brooklyn,  Col 
onel  Fowler,  were  ordered  to  assist  the  Twelfth  Corps,  and  all  did  efficient 
service.  Battery  F,  Fourth  United  States  Artillery;  Battery  K,  Fifth  United 
States  Artillery;  Battery  M,  First  New  York,  and  Knap's  Pennsylvania  Battery 
were  placed  in  position  during  the  night  by  Colonel  Best,  and  at  4  A.  M.,  on  the 
3d,  we  opened  the  fight.  The  task  of  regaining  our  line  proved  to  be  more 
difficult  than  I  had  anticipated.  The  explanation  is  given  in  the  report  of 
General  Ewell.  He  says:  "I  was  ordered  to  renew  my  attack  at  daylight 
on  Friday  morning,  and  as  General  Johnson's  position  was  the  only  one  afford- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  261 

ing  hope  of  doing  this  to  advantage,  he  was  reinforced  by  Smith's  Brigade  of 
Early's  Division,  and  by  Daniel's  and  Rodes'  old  brigades  of  Rodes'  Division. 
j  ust  before  the  time  fixed  for  General  Johnson  to  advance,  the  enemy  attacked 
him,  to  regain  the  works  captured  by  Stewart  the  evening  before." 

Both  sides  had  been  strongly  reinforced;  both  were  ordered  to  attack  at  day 
light,  our  side  hoping  to  regain  the  ground  lost  on  the  previous  evening;  the 
enemy  determined,  and  expecting  to  advance  to  the  Baltimore  Pike.  The 
battle  was  fought  with  great  vigor  and  bravery  on  both  sides,  continuing  nearly 
seven  hours,  and  resulting  in  our  regaining  every  foot  of  the  ground  lost  by 
the  removal  of  our  troops  on  the  previous  day.  Speaking  of  the  final  result, 
General  Ewell,  in  his  report,  says :  "  Repeated  reports  from  the  cavalry  on  our 
left  that  the  enemy  was  moving  heavy  columns  of  infantry  to  turn  General 
Johnson's  left  at  last  caused  him,  about  I  P.  M.,  to  evacuate  the  work  already 
gained,  and  he  (Johnson)  finally  took  up  a  position  about  300  yards  in  rear  of 
the  works  he  had  abandoned." 

This  closed  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  so  far  as  the  right  of  the  line  was  con 
cerned.  It  was  followed  on  the  left  by  that  great  artillery  duel,  the  magnifi 
cent  charge  of  the  Confederates,  under  General  Pickett  —  an  exhibition  of 
bravery  on  both  sides  such  as  has  seldom,  if  ever  before,  been  witnessed  on 
any  field. 

Upon  no  battle  ever  fought  were  such  great  results  depending.  It  was  the 
turning  point  in  our  Civil  War.  It  was  a  contest,  the  history  of  which  is  better 
known  than  is  that  of  any  other  great  battle.  Even  before  the  dead  were 
buried  or  the  wounded  removed  from  the  field,  the  military  student  commenced 
his  study.  Since  the  close  of  the  war,  the  field  has  been  visited  by  the  leading 
actors  on  both  sides,  who  have  located  their  positions  and  told  their  stories. 
More  important  still,  and  far  more  interesting,  is  the  fact  that  every  official 
report,  every  important  communication  written  at  the  time  by  the  actors,  has 
been  preserved,  and  is  to  be  found  in  the  publications  of  the  War  Department. 
Here  are  portrayed  the  designs,  the  hopes  and  the  fears  of  all  the  actors  in 
the  great  battle  fought  on  this  field.  During  the  battle,  I  knew  little  of  what 
was  done  except  here  on  our  right;  but,  if  time  permitted,  I  would  gladly 
glean  from  the  reports  of  Confederate  and  Union  officers  a  brief  history  of 
the  events  on  other  parts  of  the  field, —  of  the  scene  where  the  great  leader 
and  magnificent  soldier  of  Pennsylvania,  John  F.  Reynolds,  gave  up  his  life. 
I  would  speak  of  the  fight  in  the  Peach  Orchard  and  the  Wheatfield;  of 
the  cavalry  fight  on  our  right;  of  the  contest  for  possession  of  Little  Round 
Top;  of  the  hand-to-hand  fight  in  Devil's  Den;  of  the  magnificent  charge  of 
Pickett,  and  its  equally  magnificent  repulse. 

But  the  duty  assigned  to  me  to-day  was  to  speak  of  the  operations  on  Gulp's 
Hill.  Every  Confederate  report  shows  that  on  their  side  it  was  regarded  as 
of  great  importance.  How  near  we  came  to  losing  it,  is  shown  in  the  report 
of  General  Ewell.  Speaking  of  operations  at  the  close  of  the  first  day,  he  says  : 
"  The  enemy  had  fallen  back  to  a  commanding  position  known  as  Cemetery 
Hill,  south  of  Gettysburg,  and  quickly  presented  a  formidable  front  there.  On 
entering  the  town,  I  received  a  message  from  the  commanding  general  to  at 
tack  this  hill  if  I  could  do  so  to  advantage.  I  could  not  bring  artillery  to  bear 


262  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

on  it,  and  all  the  troops  with  me  were  jaded  by  twelve  hours'  marching  and 
fighting,  and  I  was  notified  that  General  Johnson's  Division  (the  only  one  of 
my  corps  that  had  not  been  engaged)  was  close  to  town.  Cemetery  Hill  was 
not  assailable  from  the  town,  and  I  determined  to  take  possession  of  a  wooded 
hill  to  my  left,  on  a  line  with  and  commanding  Cemetery  Hill.  Before  Johnson 
got  up,  the  enemy  was  reported  moving  to  outflank  our  extreme  left,  and  I 
could  see  what  seemed  to  me  to  be  his  skirmishers  in  that  direction.  Before 
this  report  could  be  investigated  by  Lieut.  T.  T.  Turner,  aide-de-camp  of  my 
staff,  and  Lieut.  Robert  D.  Early,  sent  for  that  purpose,  and  Johnson  placed 
in  position,  the  night  was  far  advanced.  I  received  orders  soon  after  dark  to 
draw  my  corps  to  the  right  in  case  it  could  not  be  used  to  advantage  where  it 
was;  that  the  commanding  general  thought  from  the  nature  of  the  ground 
that  the  position  for  attack  was  a  good  one  on  that  side.  I  represented  to  the 
commanding  general  that  the  hill  above  referred  to  was  unoccupied  by  the 
enemy,  as  reported  by  Lieutenants  Turner  and  Early,  who  had  gone  upon  it, 
and  it  commanded  their  position,  and  made  it  untenable,  so  far  as  I  could 
judge.  He  decided  to  let  me  remain,  and  on  my  return  to  my  headquarters 
after  12  o'clock  at  night,  I  sent  orders  to  Johnson,  by  Lieutenant  Turner,  to 
take  possession  of  this  hill  if  he  had  not  already  done  so.  General  Johnson 
stated  in  reply  to  this  order,  that  he  had  sent  a  reconnoitering  party  to  the 
hill,  with  orders  to  report  as  to  the  position  of  the  enemy  in  reference  to  it. 
This  party,  on  or  near  the  summit,  was  met  by  a  superior  force  of  the  enemy, 
which  succeeded  in  capturing  a  portion  of  the  reconnoitering  party,  the  rest 
of  it  making  its  escape.  During  this  conversation  with  General  Johnson,  a 
man  arrived,  bringing  a  despatch,  dated  at  12,  midnight,  taken  from  a 
Federal  courier,  making  his  way  from  General  Sykes  to  General  Slocum,  in 
which  the  former  stated  that  his  corps  was  then  halted  four  miles  from  Get 
tysburg,  and  would  resume  his  march  at  4  A.  M.  Lieutenant  Turner  brought 
this  despatch  to  my  headquarters,  and  at  the  same  time  stated  that  General 
Johnson  would  refrain  from  attacking  the  position  till  I  had  received  notice  of 
the  fact  that  the  enemy  were  in  possession  of  the  hill,  and  had  sent  him  further 
orders.  Day  was  breaking,  and  it  was  now  too  late  for  any  changes  of  place." 

Such  was  General  Ewell's  statement  about  the  early  occupancy  of  Gulp's  Hill. 
The  fact  is  that  the  reconnoitering  party  to  which  he  refers  came  in  contact 
with  a  small  force  sent  here  to  protect  our  engineers,  who  were  engaged  in 
marking  out  the  line  to  be  occupied  by  the  troops  of  the  Twelfth  Corps.  The 
troops  of  Geary's  Division  did  not  commence  taking  position  here  till  about 
3  A.  M.,  and  the  last  of  Williams'  Division  was  not  in  position  till  after  8  A.  M. 

In  General  Lee's  report  it  is  stated  that  General  Ewell  was  ordered,  on  July 
2d,  to  attack  our  right  simultaneously  with  the  attack  of  General  Longstreet 
on  the  left.  To  the  fact  that  General  Ewell's  attack  was  not  made  till  an 
hour  after  Longstreet  commenced  his  attack,  was  due  the  weakening  of  this 
part  of  our  line,  and  making  the  task  assigned  to  General  Ewell  easier  than  it 
otherwise  would  have  been;  but  the  delay  also  prevented  General  Ewell  from 
realizing  the  great  advantage  he  had  gained.  It  gave  us  the  night  between 
the  2d  and  3d  to  strengthen  our  position  and  prevent  his  further  advance. 

Now,  comrades,  I  am  glad  to  meet  here  so  many  men  of  my  old  corps.     My 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  263 

only  regret  is  that  the  men  from  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Maryland,  Penn 
sylvania,  New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Wisconsin,  who  were  your  comrades 
in  the  corps,  are  not  with  us  to-day. 

New  York's  part  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg  is  known  to  all!  Of  the  Union 
army  on  this  field,  about  thirty  per  cent,  were  New  York  men;  of  the  killed 
and  wounded,  more  than  thirty  per  cent,  were  New  Yorkers. 

When  the  stranger,  visiting  this  field,  asks  his  guide  to  take  him  to  the 
places  where  the  hard  fighting  was  done,  he  will,  at  every  place,  have  within 
his  view,  some  of  the  monuments  erected  by  New  York.  If  he  goes  to  the 
scene  of  the  first  day's  operations,  where  Reynolds  fell,  he  will  find  it  dotted 
all  over  with  New  York  monuments;  he  will  find  them  on  the  Wheatfield,  in 
the  Peach  Orchard,  and  on  the  scene  of  Gregg's  cavalry  fight.  If  he  ascends 
to  the  summit  of  Little  Round  Top,  or  goes  into  Devil's  Den,  he  will  find 
them.  All  along  the  crest  where  Longstreet  and  Pickett  made  their  greatest 
efforts,  he  will  find  monuments  marking  the  position  of  New  York  troops. 

Of  the  1,350  New  York  soldiers  who,  under  the  skillful  management  of  Gen 
eral  Greene,  so  bravely  defended  our  position  on  July  2d,  only  400  are  present 
to  greet  their  old  brigade  commander. 

I  feel  thankful  that  a  kind  Providence  has  lengthened  out  the  days  of  this 
venerable  man,  now  in  his  ninety-third  year,  and  has  permitted  him,  after  the 
lapse  of  nearly  one-third  of  a  century,  to  return  to  this  field  on  which  he 
served  with  so  much  distinction,  and  here  meet  the  men  of  his  old  command. 
I  know  you  are  impatient  to  greet  him,  and  I  will  no  longer  deprive  you  of 
that  pleasure. 


ADDRESS  OF  MAJ.  GEN.  GEORGE  S.  GREENE. 

SOLDIERS  AND  CITIZENS: 

On  this,  the  thirtieth  anniversay  of  the  great  battle  for  the  preservation  of 
our  Union,  which  was  fought  here,  it  seems  meet  that  I  should  recite  on  this 
hill  where  the  Third  Brigade  of  the  Second  Division  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  — 
the  White  Star  Brigade  —  fought,  what  took  place  on  the  night  of  the  2d,  and 
morning  of  the  3d  of  July,  1863. 

It  is  of  you  that  your  gallant  and  distinguished  commander,  Gen.  Henry  W. 
Slocum,  has  said,  "  that  it  is  due  to  the  gallant  conduct  of  this  brigade  that  the 
enemy  did  not  occupy  your  lines  on  the  right  and  penetrate  to  the  rear  of  our 
army,"  on  the  night  of  the  2d  of  July,  1863. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  July,  1863,  the  Third  Brigade,  with  the  Second 
Division,  was  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  Gettysburg, 
at  Little  Round  Top.  At  sunrise  we  marched  to  the  extreme  right  of  the 
army,  to  Gulp's  Hill,  to  which  we  to-day  return  in  great  numbers  after  an  in 
terval  of  thirty  years.  We  thank  God  that  so  many  of  us  are  present  at  this 
time  in  health  and  in  vigor,  and  able  to  rejoice  in  a  happy  and  united  country. 

We  were  ordered  to  erect  defensive  works  on  the  crest  of  this  hill  on  the 
line  as  we  here  see  them  to-day.  The  Third  Brigade  took  position  on  the 
extreme  left,  extending  to  the  first  angle.  I  directed  the  details  of  the  align- 


264  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

ment,  the  men  worked  vigorously,  and  in  a  few  hours  we  had  a  good  breast 
work,  made  with  a  fewr  trees  cut,  and  with  cordwood  and  loose  stones  which  we 
found  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  This  was  completed  early  in  the  day,  almost 
exclusively  by  the  Third  Brigade.  The  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh  New 
York  Colonel  Ireland,  commenced  a  traverse  on  our  right,  which  was  extended 
for  about  twenty  yards,  and  which  was  of  great  value  during  the  subsequent 
fight. 

Next  on  the  right  was  General  Kane,  with  about  400  men  of  the  Second 
Brigade;  and  on  his  right  was  the  First  Division  of  the  Twelfth  Corps,  under 
General  Ruger,  General  Williams  having  been  placed  in  command  of  the 
Twelfth  Corps,  General  Slocum  commanding  the  right  wing  of  the  army,  the 
Fifth  and  Twelfth  Corps. 

After  the  completion  of  the  intrenchments  early  in  the  day,  we  rested  on  our 
arms.  Meanwhile  the  fight  was  going  on  our  left  at  the  Peach  Orchard  and 
Devil's  Den,  while  large  bodies  of  the  enemy  were  seen,  as  they  had  been  all 
day,  massing  on  our  front,  at  a  considerable  distance  beyond  Rock  Creek,  at 
Benner's  Hill.  Artillery  was  brought  up  to  the  apex  of  Gulp's  Hill,  and  batter 
ies  of  the  enemy  located  on  Benner's  Hill  were  driven  under  cover  or  destroyed. 
This  was  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

Later  in  the  day,  orders  came  to  the  general  commanding  the  right  wing  — 
General  Slocum  —  to  send  the  Twelfth  Corps  to  the  left  of  the  army,  then 
suffering  a  fierce  attack  from  Longstreet.  General  Slocum  fully  understood 
the  importance  of  occupying  Gulp's  Hill,  and  instinctively  believing  that  the 
enemy  must  be  in  force  in  our  front,  ordered  that  the  Third  Brigade  remain 
in  their  intrenchments,  as  you  have  just  heard,  which  order  was  approved  by 
the  General-in-Chief;  and  it  is  due  to  General  Slocum's  knowledge  and  fore 
sight  that  the  enemy  did  not  occupy  this  strong  position  and  penetrate  to  the 
rear  of  the  army  with  a  large  force. 

The  First  Brigade  of  the  Second  Division  was  reserved  for  picket  duty,  and 
did  not  occupy  the  lines  of  field  fortifications  on  Gulp's  Hill  on  the  2d  of 
July,  excepting  for  a  short  period  in  the  morning. 

When  the  First  Division,  and  the  First  and  Second  Brigades  of  the  Second 
Division  left  Gulp's  Hill,  the  Seventy-eighth  New  York  was  brought  from  the 
left  of  the  brigade,  and  sent  to  the  front  of  the  Third  Brigade  to  picket  and 
skirmish,  and  to  relieve  the  details  then  on  that  duty  at  and  beyond  Rock 
Creek. 

The  Twelfth  Corps,  excepting  Greene's  Brigade,  moved  out  about  sunset, 
the  Third  Brigade  extending  its  lines  to  cover  as  much  as  possible  of  the 
division  line,  attenuating  it  to  a  considerable  degree  and  leaving  about  a  foot 
between  each  man  in  the  breastworks.  The  First  Division  reached  its  posi 
tion  on  the  left  of  the  army,  while  the  First  and  Second  Brigades  of  the  Sec 
ond  Division,  mistaking  the  line  of  direction,  moved  eastwardly  over  the  Bal 
timore  turnpike,  across  the  bridge  over  Rock  Creek,  excepting  Kane's  Brigade, 
the  Second,  which,  hearing  the  firing  in  attack,  returned  early  in  the  night  to 
Gulp's  Hill. 

The  regiment  on  picket  was  attacked  by  the  enemy  in  force  immediately  after 
the  Twelfth  Corps  had  left  the  works,  and  was  driven  back  to  our  lines.  The 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

enemy  moved  on  our  lines  vigorously,  their  men  behaving1  gallantly,  but  their 
great  losses  forced  them  to  fall  back,  only  to  renew  their  attacks  and  charges 
at  short  intervals.  These  attacks  were  continued  at  short  intervals  till  about 
10  o'clock  P.  M.,  when  they  made  a  strong  attack  on  my  front  and  right,  forcing 
back  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh  Regimen?  which  occupied  Kane's 
lines  of  breastworks,  to  the  traverse  on  our  right,  where  they  reformed  in  good 
order  and  maintained  their  position.  At  the  same  time  the  enemy  attempted 
to  pass  my  right  where  I  had  two  regiments  from  Generals  Howard  and  Wads- 
worth,  resting  on  their  arms,  in  reserve.  I  immediately  called  up  these  regi 
ments;  they  quickly  advanced,  and  the  enemy  did  not  follow  up  their  attack. 
At  the  same  time,  General  Kane,  with  his  brigade,  arrived,  and  made  his 
arrival  known  by  a  volley  on  the  enemy.  The  enemy  retired,  and  their  attacks 
ended. 

General  Kane,  hearing  the  firing  on  our  lines,  while  marching  east  on  the 
Baltimore  turnpike,  had  ordered  his  brigade  to  countermarch  and  return  to  the 
point  of  attack.  On  marching  west  on  the  turnpike,  the  enemy's  pickets,  who 
had  crossed  over  the  unoccupied  intrenchments  of  the  First  Division  of  the 
Twelfth  Corps,  had  advanced  to  the  vicinity  of  the  pike  and  fired  on  Kane's 
troops.  During  this  fire,  I  correctly  divined  that  it  was  a  fire  on  our  return 
ing  troops,  and  sent  an  officer  of  my  staff  down  the  pike  to  pilot  them  to  my 
right,  which  brought  General  Kane  to  my  right  on  the  line  of  the  enemy's  last 
attack  and  repulse. 

General  Kane's  timely  arrival  tended  to  secure  my  right  and  discourage  the 
enemy.  We  shall  always  hold  in  memory  this  gallant  man  who,  with  the  true 
instincts  of  a  soldier,  marched  straight  to  the  battlefield  on  hearing  the  sound 
of  the  guns. 

There  were  no  attacks  after  about  10  P.  M.,  though  there  were  random  shots 
occasionally  and  volleys  at  I  and  2  A.  M.  The  First  Division  of  the  Twelfth 
Corps  returned  to  its  position  near  our  lines  about  i  o'clock  A.  M. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  July,  as  you  have  just  heard,  the  attack  of  the 
Twelfth  Corps  was  made  early  in  the  morning  on  the  enemy,  and  the  former 
position  in  their  lines  occupied  after  a  severe  fight  of  seven  hours.  The  Third 
Brigade  was  vigorously  attacked  on  their  front,  four  separate  charges  being 
made  until  10  A.  M.,  when  the  attacks  ceased  and  the  enemy  retired. 

In  this  morning  fight,  the  Third  Brigade  was  reinforced  by  General  Lock- 
wood's  and  General  Shaler's  Brigades,  and  also  by  some  regiments  of  the 
First  Brigade  of  the  Second  Division,  from  Wadsworth's  Division,  First  Corps, 
and  a  regiment  of  the  First  Division.  This  fight  continued  with  great  energy 
from  daylight  until  about  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  July  3d.  At  I  o'clock,  p.  M.,  the 
men  went  down  our  front  to  Rock  Creek  to  get  water.  No  enemy  were  seen. 
They  had  evidently  withdrawn  from  our  front,  shattered  and  beaten. 

In  the  morning  fight,  July  3d,  the  Adjutant-General  of  Gen.  Edward  John 
son's  Division  (Maj.  Watkins  Leigh),  mounted,  followed  an  attacking  party 
fo  within  fifty  yards  of  our  line.  He  was  killed  with  five  balls  in  his  forehead 
and  breast.  About  fifty  men  of  the  force  which  he  was  urging  up  to  our  lines 
got  too  close  to  retreat,  and  running  up  under  our  breastworks,  threw  away 
their  muskets  and  surrendered.  The  Adjutant-General  was  taken  up  by  our 


266  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

burying  party  and  buried,  a  proper  compliment  to  the  memory  of  a  gallant 
soldier. 

I  have  thus  given  you  a  short  summary  of  the  incidents  of  the  gallant  ser 
vices  on  this  line,  hoping  that  it  may  convey  to  our  posterity  some  idea  of  what 
the  Third  —  White  Star  —  Brigade  did  for  their  country  in  the  hour  of  her 
greatest  need. 


REMARKS  OF  MAJ.  GEN.  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES,  U.  S.  A. 

COMRADES: 

This  is  a  very  fortunate  day  for  all  of  us.  It  is  a  very  remarkable 
scene  —  men  who  fought  on  this  battlefield,  listening  to  General  Slocum, 
their  corps  commander,  reciting  the  story  of  the  battle  in  which  they  partici 
pated.  You  have  heard  him  tell  of  your  movements.  You  have  acquiesced, 
and  thus  the  facts  as  he  detailed  them  can  be  considered  the  true  history  of 
the  battle  on  this  part  of  the  line.  Let  all  amateur  historians,  who  hereafter 
may  think  that  they  can  write  an  account  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  on  Gulp's 
Hill,  either  tell  it  properly  or  be  silent  if  they  can  not! 

Governor  Flower  said  he  hoped  you  would  each  live  to  be  as  old  as  Gen 
eral  Greene.  I  move  an  amendment  — >  that  you  may  be  as  good  as  he  is, 
and  as  handsome.  But  you  will  have  to  hurry  up  for  the  rest  of  your  lives, 
or  you  won't  succeed. 

It  always  does  me  good  to  look  in  the  faces  of  the  men  who  saved  this 
Union.  This  country  is  a  joint-stock  company  in  which  we  all  hold  shares. 
Consequently,  when  our  enemies  set  fire  to  our  property,  we  all  hurried  out 
to  extinguish  the  conflagration.  And  for  over  four  years  they  kept  igniting  the 
fire  and  we  kept  putting  it  out,  until  at  length  we  conquered  and  captured 
the  incendiaries.  Now  we  know  that  everything  is  safe,  and  there  is  no  further 
need  of  insurance  companies. 

I  wish  to  say  for  the  Monument  Commission,  that  if  the  State  of  New  York 
is  not  properly  represented  among  the  memorials  that  grace  this  great  field, 
it  is  our  fault  and  not  that  of  the  State.  Everything  we  asked  for  has  been 
freely  and  gladly  given  us,  and  we  have  been  hampered  in  no  way;  and  to 
the  State,  and  Governor  Hill,  and  Governor  Flower,  the  veterans  are  truly 
thankful. 


ORATIONS   AND   ADDRESSES 


DELIVERED   AT  THE 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  MONUMENTS 


ERECTED 


IN  HONOR  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  REGIMENTS 
AT  GETTYSBURG. 


F.   J.   SEVERENOE,    PHOTO. 


J.  B.  LYON  PRTNT 

10TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
On  Cemetery  Ridge,  Meade  avenue.     Looking  southeast,  the  Taneytotvn  Road  in  the  distam-e. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  269 

(INSCRIPTIONS) 


(Front) 

10TH 

NEW  YORK 
INFANTRY, 

(NATIONAL  ZOUAVES) 
ZD  BRIGADE, 
3D  DIVISION, 

2D  CORPS. 
JULY  3D  1863. 

(Reverse) 

MUSTERED  IN  APRIL  27,  1861 

AT  N.  Y.  CITY  FOR  2  YEARS 

MUSTERED  OUT  MAY  7,  1863 

RE-ORGANIZED  AS 

IOTH  BATTALION 

NEW  YORK  INFANTRY 

APRIL  26,  1863 

MUSTERED  OUT  JUNE  30,  1865 

HELD  THIS  POSITION 

WITH  8  OFFICERS  AND 

90  ENLISTED  MEN  AS 

PROVOST  GUARD 

HAYS'S  DIVISION 

DURING  PICKETT'S  CHARGE 

JULY  3,  1863 

CASUALTIES 

KILLED  2          WOUNDED  4 

PARTICI  ATED 

IN  ALL  THE  CAMPAIGNS 

OF  THE  ARMY  OF  THE 

POTOMAC 


27O  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT 

IOTH  BATTALION  INFANTRY  —  "  NATIONAL  ZOUAVES." 

September  2,  1889. 

ADDRESS  BY   LIEUT.  FRANK  M.  CLARK. 

COMRADES,  LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

By  the  courtesy  of  the  committee,  the  distinguished  honor  has  been  conferred 
on  me  of  delivering  the  introductory  address  upon  this  most  interesting  occa 
sion.  I  shall  not  occupy  your  time  with  any  lengthy  description  of  the 
momentous  events  which  took  place  here,  and  of  which  you  have  heard  so  much 
during  the  past  two  days,  told  in  the  most  eloquent  manner. 

Our  thoughts  naturally  revert  to  the  scenes  enacted  upon  this  ground  twenty- 
six  years  ago,  when  this  quiet,  peaceful,  rural  hamlet,  almost  unknown  beyond 
the  limits  of  this  county,  suddenly  sprang  into  world-wide  distinction;  for  here 
was  fought  during  three  days,  in  July,  1863,  the  greatest  battle  of  modern  times. 
More  than  100,000  men  struggled  for  the  mastery,  of  which  number  40,000  were 
placed  hors  du  combat.  Victory  finally  came  to  the  Union  army,  and  Gettys 
burg  became  historic. 

We  have  met  to-day  upon  this  battlefield  to  dedicate  a  monument  com 
memorative  of  the  services  and  sacrifices  of  the  Tenth  Regiment,  New  York 
Infantry,  from  Big  Bethel  to  Appomattox;  and  we  thank  you  all  for  your 
presence  with  us, —  beautiful  women  and  brave  men,  lending  grace  and  dignity 
to  the  occasion. 

As  the  presiding  officer  of  the  day,  I  am  privileged  to  introduce  to  you  a 
gentleman  who  entered  the  service  of  the  United  States  as  a  commissioned 
officer  in  the  Tenth  New  York,  upon  its  original  organization,  served  with  you 
through  the  entire  war,  and  was  finally  mustered  out  at  the  disbandment  of  the 
army.  It  was  his  good  fortune  to  command  the  battalion  in  the  engagement 
upon  this  spot  twenty-six  years  ago. 

I  present  to  you  my  friend  and  comrade,  Col.  George  F.  Hopper,  Chairman 
of  the  Monument  Committee. 


ADDRESS  BY  MAJOR  CHARLES  W.  COWTAN. 
LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

Chosen  by  my  comrades  of  the  Tenth  New  York  Volunteers  to  formally  sur 
render  to  the  Gettysburg  Monument  Association  that  symbol  of  our  four  years' 
service  for  the  Union,  so  generously  and  gratefully  erected  by  the  great 
Empire  State,  it  seems  proper  that,  before  performing  that  acceptable  and 
pleasant  duty,  I  should  briefly  refer  to  some  of  the  incidents  that  render  this 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  271 

dedicatory  ceremony  so  sacred  to  the  hearts  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment, 
whether  present  with  us  to-day,  or  absent  by  force  of  circumstances. 

The  tidings  of  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter  had  scarcely  ceased  vibrating  the 
telegraphic  wires,  when  the  active  organization  of  the  National  Zouaves  was 
begun  in  New  York  city  by  a  body  of  young  men  who  had,  since  the  previous 
December,  been  banded  together  in  anticipation  of  such  a  necessity  arising. 
Within  three  weeks  the  regiment  could  have  marched  to  the  front  if  arms 
had  been  furnished  them,  crude  in  material  and  formation,  it  is  true,  but  brave 
and  earnest  in  purpose  and  enthusiasm.  The  three  additional  weeks  that 
elapsed  at  Sandy  Hook  Camp,  before  marching  orders  were  received,  perfected 
the  organization  of  the  regiment,  and  launched  a  compact  body  of  more  than 
800  soldiers  upon  the  soil  of  rebellious  Virginia. 

The  Tenth  New  York  Volunteers  was  one  of  the  thirty-eight  regiments  of 
New  York  State  troops  mustered  in  for  two  years'  service.  Before  that  term 
had  expired  it  had  experienced  the  inevitable  and  always  remembered  vicissi 
tudes  of  early  and  amateur  camp  life;  had  served  on  garrison  duty  for  several 
months  under  Regular  Army  officers;  had  joined  the  afterwards  historic  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  under  its  banners  had  baptized  with  the  blood  of  its 
bravest  young  heroes  the  battlefields  of  that  army  from  Games'  Mill  to  Fred- 
ericksburg.  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  dilate  here  upon  the  incidents  of  bravery 
and  devotion  so  dear  to  the  memory  of  the  survivors  of  our  regiment  and  their 
kindred,  nor  to  enumerate  in  detail  the  battle  losses  sustained.  It  is  the  part 
of  history  to  engrave  these  facts  in  indelible  characters  upon  the  annals  of  the 
Nation. 

The  two-years  regiment  as  an  organization  was  mustered  out  of  service 
May  7,  1863,  after  fitting  encomiums  from  its  commanding  general.  The 
men  who  had  enlisted  after  the  regiment  had  left  New  York  in  1861,  and 
whose  term  of  service  was  construed  to  be  three  years,  remained  in  the  field 
under  veteran  officers.  This  little  battalion,  numbering  scarcely  100  present 
for  duty,  received  its  first  baptism,  as  a  separate  organization,  at  Chan- 
cellorsville,  only  two  or  three  days  after  the  departure  of  the  two-years  men 
for  home.  Designated  by  General  French  to  perform  the  duty  of  provost 
guard  for  his  division  (the  Third,  of  the  Second  Army  Corps),  it  was  acting  in 
that  capacity,  though  now  under  Gen.  Alexander  Hays,  as  division  commander, 
during  the  days  of  battle  which  drenched  the  green  hills  and  valleys  around 
Gettysburg  with  blood,  and  ultimately  turned  the  tide  of  rebellion.  Doing 
arduous  duty  in  several  positions,  with  its  own  and  other  divisions,  after  arriving 
upon  the  field  on  the  night  of  the  ist  of  July,  the  battalion  was  posted,  on  the 
3d,  directly  in  rear  of  its  own  division,  when  the  gallant  and  renowned  advance 
of  Longstreet's  columns  was  directed  upon  the  front  of  the  devoted  Second 
and  Third  Divisions  of  Hancock's  Corps.  The  loss  of  the  battalion  upon  the 
field  was  2  killed  and  4  wounded.  General  Meade,  at  the  critical  moment,  had 
personally  directed  the  little  body  of  soldiers  to  assemble  and  advance  to  the 
main  line  to  render  what  assistance  they  could,  and  while  obeying  this  order 
they  were  met  by  a  wave  of  nearly  2,000  Confederates,  who  had  dropped  their 
weapons,  entered  General  Hays'  lines,  and  were  rushing  madly  to  obtain  the 
shelter  from  their  own  artillery  which  they  imagined  the  depression  of  the 


272 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


Taneytown  road  might  afford.  These  prisoners  were  taken  to  the  extreme 
rear  during  the  night  by  our  battalion. 

The  little  band  of  veterans  who,  upon  this  bloody  field,  so  modestly  and  yet 
earnestly  upheld  the  glorious  record  of  their  old  regiment,  were  to  be  the 
nucleus  of  a  battalion  which  was  destined,  during  the  next  two  years,  to  leave 
its  dead  upon  many  famous  battlefields.  Returning  to  line  duty,  and  reinforced 
with  some  of  the  bravest  of  veteran  recruits,  forming  a  portion  of  a  dauntless 
brigade  that  was  often  summoned  by  General  Hancock  in  emergent  necessity, 
the  battalion  of  the  Tenth  left  a  bloody  trail  through  the  Wilderness,  at  Spot- 
sylvania,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  and  through  the  eventful  campaigns  which 
led  directly  to  the  culmination  of  the  rebellion  and  the  fall  of  its  keystone  at 
Appomattox  Court  House. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  1865,  the  remnant  of  the  Tenth  New  York  Volunteers 
participated  in  the  ever  memorable  parade  in  the  capital  city  of  the  Nation, 
when  80,000  soldiers  of  the  grand  old  Army  of  the  Potomac  passed  in  review, 
with  worn  uniforms  and  tattered  ensigns,  a  pageant  impressed  forever  upon  the 
minds  of  those  who  witnessed  it.  On  the  3Oth  day  of  June  following,  the 
National  Zouaves  were  finally  mustered  out  from  the  military  service  of  their 
country  after  continuous  duty  of  more  than  four  years.  Some  of  us  here 
to-day  were  with  the  command  from  its  inception  to  the  end.  Most  of  us  bear 
scars,  won  while  battling  under  its  well-loved  colors,  and  all  of  us  treasure 
reminiscences  of  that  past  which  will  linger  with  us  while  life  lasts,  and  which 
make  the  memory  of  our  battles,  marches,  and  privations  a  sacred  heritage  to  be 
left  to  our  posterity  forever. 

Statistics  show  that  the  number  of  commissioned  officers  mustered  into  the 
regiment  during  its  entire  service  was  96,  some  of  whom,  however,  were 
promoted  and  served  in  more  than  one  position.  Of  this  number,  6  were 
killed  or  died  of  wounds;  3  died  of  disease;  and  20  were  wounded.  A  close 
estimate  places  the  number  of  enlisted  men  in  the  regiment  at  1,900,  of  whom 
106  were  killed  or  mortally  wounded;  66  died  of  disease,  and  we  have  the  names 
of  214  who  were  wounded  in  battle,  although  it  is  certain  that  this  estimate  of 
the  wounded  falls  short  of  the  actual  number.  There  were  also  23  of  our 
comrades  who  are  reported  as  "  missing,"  and  who  probably  fell  unnoticed  in 
battle  or  perished  in  captivity.  The  casualties  in  the  regiment  will  thus  be 
seen  to  have  been  438,  as  far  as  it  is  able  to  judge  with  certainty,  and  this 
total  does  not  include  a  number  who  were  made  prisoners  in  battle,  and  suffered 
in  the  charnel  houses,  misnamed  Confederate  prisons.  Such,  in  brief,  is  the 
history  of  one  of  the  regiments  from  the  Empire  State. 

And  now,  sir,  in  the  name  of  the  survivors  of  that  command,  I  turn  over  to 
you,  as  representative  of  the  Gettysburg  Memorial  Association,  this  shapely 
granite.  "  May  it  ever  stand,  an  inspiration  to  American  citizenship  and 
valor!" 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


POEM  BY  PRIVATE  CHARLES  H.  LUDWIG. 

In  far  distant  future  days, 

When  war  shall  nevermore  be  known, 

And  men  shall  sing  the  heavenly  lays 

Of  love  and  peace  alone; 

And  tattered  flag  and  sword  and  gun 

Adorn   antique   historic   halls, 

Or  hang  as  curious  relics  on 

The  antiquary's  walls, 

Then  as  the  generations,  with  untiring  tread, 

Through  the  long  aisle 

Of  centuries  shall  file, 

And  children  shall  approach  with  reverent  head, 

And  ask  in  wonderment,  What  means  this  pile? 

Its  thrilling  words  will  tell  to  eager  ears 

The  deeds  heroic,  wrought  in  olden  years, 

Of  valiant  men,  who,  at  their  country's  'hest 

When   by   rebellious   hands    distrest, 

Left  home,  and  wife,  and  child, 

And  toiled  by  day  in  hunger,  heat  and  cold, 

And  lay  at  night  wrapped  in  the  chilly  fold 

Of  stormy  skies,  and  tempest  wild, 

Without  a  whispered  cheer 

Of  faithful  wife,  or  mother's  fond  embrace  — 

So  comforting  and  dear 

To  men  of  noble  race  — 

The  men  who  lifted  up  their  good  right  arm 

To  shield  their  land  from  harm, 

And,  uncomplaining,   bled, 

And   fell  —  the  conquerors,   though   dead, 

Not  they  who  shout  are  conquerors  alone, 

For  they  who  fall  before  the  day  is  won 

Are  also  victors,  and  the  laurel'd  crown 

Fitly  adorns  the  warrior  smitten  down. 

No  martyr  dies 

A  fruitless   sacrifice; 

Heroic  deeds 

Are  the  immortal  seeds  — 

Nourished  by  blood  and  tears  — 

That  grow  the  fruit  of  Liberty 

And  conscience  free, 

Through  Time's  unresting  years. 
************* 

Beneath  the  peaceful  skies, 
18 


273 


274 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

And  with  the  Father's  smile, 

We  dedicate  this  pile 

To  sacred   memories 

Of  men  of  elder  as  of  modern  day, 

Whose  place  of  burial  to  man  unknown 

Is  all  unmark'd  by  monumental  stone  — 

To  nameless  heroes  slumbering  in  the  sea, 

The  sighing  winds  their  ceaseless  lullaby, 

Who  seem,  as  't  were,  to  need  more  care  of  God 

Than  they  who  sleep  beneath  the  churchyard  sod; 

We  dedicate  this  pile  to  the  dead  brave  who  share 

The  grassy  resting  places  of  the  town, 

Enwreath'd  by  loving  hands  in  flowering  May 

With  garlands  fragrant,  and  as  Eden  fair, 

And   grander  in  the  Father's  eye  than  monarch's  jewell'd   crown. 

*************** 

O  land  of  all  the  lands  by  Heaven  most  blest! 

Who  strikes  at  thee  doth  strike  at  Freedom's  breast 

If  she  must  bleed,  let  not  the  blow 

Be  dealt  by  children's  hand  again, 

But  by  a  foreign  foe. 

O  North!     O  South!     O  East!     O  West! 

Away  with  jealousy,  suspicion,  hate! 

Joint  heritors  are  ye  of  one  estate, 

Forevermore  to  hold. 

Ample  and  broad,  so  rilled  with  bread  and  meat 

The  recompense  of  honest  toil, 

That  ye  might  welcome  all  the  world  to  eat; 

A  land  whose  hills  are  iron,   coal,  and  gold, 

Whose  valleys  run  with  oil; 

A  land  of  churches,  schools,  and  charities 

That  heal  the  mind  and  give  the  sufferer  ease, 

Yea,   every  ill  assuage, 

From  orphan'd  infancy  to  helpless  age; 

A  land  of  freedom  for  right,  deed,  and  thought, 

The  just  and  equal  law  its  only  King, 

Which  none  may  set  at  naught. 

What  would  ye  more? 

What  lacks  your  earthly  store? 

O  happy  land!  to  God  thank  offerings  bring; 

Let  the  dead  past,  and  all  its  curse  and  scorn 

Be  buried,  with  no  resurrection  morn! 

Stand  forth,  O  land,  in  unity  and  might, 

Loving  the  truth  and  valorous  for  right! 

Down  to  the  unreturning  depths  be  hurl'd 

All  things  by  truth  abhorr'd, 

And  stand  thou  everforth  a  blessing  to  the  world. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  275 


ORATION  BY  PRIVATE  JOSEPH  KAY. 

LADIES,  COMRADES  OF  THE  WAR,  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

Looking  back  over  the  more  than  six  and  twenty  years  that  have  elapsed 
since  the  great  and  bloody  struggle  which  then  took  place  between  armed 
forces,  sons  of  a  common  mother,  on  these  now  sacred  hills, —  and  Gettysburg 
made  a  part  only  of  the  great  work  which  was  necessary  to  crowd  four  centuries 
of  progress  into  four  years  of  cruel  and  relentless  war, —  there  is  much  about 
this  field  of  glory  which  no  American  citizen  can  contemplate  without  a  feeling 
of  just  pride  in  the  Union  as  it  is,  and  especially  so  in  case  he  was  permitted  to 
share  in  what  occurred  here  in  those  trying  times.  Little  did  the  prophet  — 
Lincoln  himself  —  realize  when,  in  yonder  cemetery,  in  language  which  will 
be  remembered  as  long  as  the  world  shall  last,  he  helped  to  lay  the  corner 
stone  of  a  National  monument  to  the  known  and  unknown  of  the  Union  Army 
who  died  and  are  buried  here,  what  Gettysburg  accomplished  for  Liberty  and 
Union. 

But  hold!     It  is  said  the  darkest  hour  is  just  before  dawn. 

When  the  clouds  hung  as  a  funeral  pall  over  this  Nation;  when  disaster  had 
followed  quick  upon  disaster  to  our  armies  in  the  field;  when  our  business 
people  at  home  were  discouraged  and  disheartened;  when  the  cause  of  the 
Union  —  except  among  the  brave  boys  at  the  front,  and  they  never  faltered  — 
was  considered  a  failure;  when  the  power  of  the  National  Government  to 
successfully  conquer  rebellion  was  doubted  even  by  some  of  the  best  friends  of 
the  Union;  when  foreign  powers  were  congratulating  themselves  and  each 
other  that  the  States  of  the  American  Republic  were  to  be  disintegrated  and 
torn  apart,  and  the  permanent  success  of  self-government  by  a  great  people  be 
proven  impossible, —  it  was  then  that  Gettysburg,  forever  glorious  Gettysburg, 
was  fought.  Here,  the  silver  lining  to  the  cloud  on  our  horizon  as  a  Nation 
was  first  disclosed.  Here,  and  at  Vicksburg  in  the  West,  the  inspiration  came 
which  led  to  the  final  culmination  at  Appomattox.  Each  in  itself  a  great 
victory  for  the  Union,  coming  nearly  together  in  point  of  time  of  concurrence, 
they  became  rainbows  of  promise,  finally,  grandly  fulfilled  in  1865,  with  the 
armies  of  treason  surrendered,  and  brothers  become  brothers  again.  These 
events  encouraged  the  armies;  they  put  backbone  in  the  people;  they  helped 
make  the  Union  we  now  enjoy  a  home  of  the  free  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name, 
and  a  united  country  once  again  a  possibility. 

And  who  were  they  who  composed  these  armies  of  the  Union  at  Gettys 
burg  and  Vicksburg,  do  you  ask? 

Unlike  myself,  on  this  occasion,  they  were  not  substitutes.  When  these 
battles  were  fought  there  was  no  hireling  in  the  Union  Army  or  Navy.  Every 
man  stood,  his  body  a  wall  between  the  Nation  and  its  enemies.  He  was  not  a 
proxy, —  he  represented  American  manhood;  he  represented  himself. 

They  were  not  conscripts  serving  against  their  will.  Remember  also  that 
they  were  not  wearing  the  yoke  of  oppression,  nor  were  under  the  iron  heel  of  a 
monarch  in  such  servitude.  No.  They  were  the  bone  and  sinew  of  loyalty, 
the  boys  of  America.  They  are,  to  some  extent,  the  men  of  to-day.  Every 


276  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

man  who  served  was  a  monarch  in  his  own  right,  whether  to  the  manor  born  or 
not,  because  they  were  patriots  and  volunteers. 

Remember  this.  They  were  here  for  principle.  They  were  here  for  Union. 
They  were  here  in  the  cause  of  that  right  which  was  eternally  right,  and  against 
that  which  they  knew  was  as  eternally  and  forever  wrong.  They  were  here  for 
America. 

Many  of  us  were  here  then,  and  that  is  why  we  are  here  now. 

Lincoln  said,  in  referring  to  the  men  who  fought,  speaking  especially  of 
those  who  died  here: 

"  The  world  will  little  heed  nor  long  remember  what  we  say  here.  It  can 
never  forget  what  they  did  here." 

A  fraternity  which  means  something  brings  us  here  to-day.  We  remember 
that  this  field  was  baptized  in  the  blood  of  patriots  who  were  our  comrades, 
that  it  was  dedicated  and  made  forever  sacred  by  the  immortal  words  of  a 
martyr.  We  know  also  that  it  is  nurtured  and  guarded  by  a  grateful,  loyal 
people.  This  spot,  for  all  time  to  come  is  the  shrine  at  which  will  worship  all 
who  honor  and  love  America  —  land  of  the  brave,  home  of  the  free. 

Here  valor  and  freedom  will  be  commemorated  forever,  as  twin  sisters. 
Here  will  our  posterity  receive  an  inspiration  stronger  even  than  that  which 
prompted  us,  their  ancestors,  to  dare,  to  do,  to  die,  if  needs  be,  for  the  per 
petuity  of  the  inestimable  blessings  of  a  Union  restored,  now  one  and 
inseparable,  where  all  mankind  are  free. 

Our  forefathers  built  a  house  founded,  so  long  as  slavery  existed,  on  sand. 
We  redeem  and  leave  as  a  heritage  to  our  children  and  our  children's  children, 
free  America.  It  is  now  a  nation  founded  on  a  solid  rock, —  human  liberty. 
Who  would  change  it  if  they  could? 

My  mission  here  to-day  is  nearly  ended. 

Boys  of  the  war,  crowd  together.  I  conjure  you  to  stand  by  each  other 
until  the  curtain  is  rung  down  on  the  final  act  in  your  lives.  These  dead  have 
not  died  in  vain :  their  work  is  ended  on  earth,  but  its  results  are  as  eternal  as 
the  fixed  stars  in  heaven. 


J.   B.  I.YOX   I'lilNT 


39TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
On   Cemetery   Rid^e,    near  the   "An^le." 


F.  J.  SEVEREXCE,   PHOTO. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  277 


(INSCRIPTIONS) 
(Front) 

39TH 

NEW  YORK 

INFANTRY, 

(GARIBALDI  GUARDS) 

3D  BRIG.  3D  DIV. 

2v  CORPS. 

(Reverse) 

THIS  REGIMENT  AT  ABOUT 
7  O'CLOCK  P.  M.  JULY  2,  1863 
BEING  ORDERED  TO  SUPPORT 

GENERAL  SICKLES'  LINE 

CHARGED  AND  DROVE  THE  ENEMY 

RECAPTURING  THE  GUNS  AND 

EQUIPMENT  OF  BATTERY  I, 

STH  U.  S.  ARTILLERY 

A  STONE  TABLET  MARKS 

THE  PLACE  WHERE  THIS 

INCIDENT  OCCURRED. 

(Left  Side)  (Right  Side) 

THIS  REGIMENT  CASUALTIES 

COMPOSED  OF  KILLED       15 

4  COMPANIES  WOUNDED  80 

HELD  THIS  POSITION  TOTAL        95 
JULY  2  AND  3,  1863 


2/8  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT 
39TH  BATTALION  INFANTRY  —  "  GARIBALDI   GUARDS." 

July   i,  1888. 

ORATION  OF  LIEUT.  FRANK  M.  CLARK. 
COMRADES  AND  FRIENDS: 

We  have  assembled  to-day  upon  this  historic  battlefield  to  pay  a  tribute  of 
honor  to  the  patriotic  heroism  and  unselfish  devotion  of  the  gallant  heroes  who 
died  that  the  Nation  might  live. 

"  Passed  away  before  life's  noon. 
Who  shall  say  they  died  too  soon? 
Ye  who  mourn,  O  cease  from  tears! 
Deeds  like  these  outlast  the  years." 

Twenty-five  years  have  passed  away  since  the  embattled  hosts,  numbering1  more 
than  100,000  men,  faced  each  other  here.  The  echoes  of  the  reverberating 
thunders  of  grim  and  ghastly  war  have  melted  away,  and  only  its  mem 
ories,  softened  by  the  hand  of  time,  remain.  The  bitterness  engendered  by 
fratricidal  strife  has  been  forgotten  by  the  men  who  met  each  other  in  deadly 
combat,  and  we  now  greet  our  former  foes  with  fraternal  embrace,  and  recount, 
with  lively  interest  and  without  acrimony,  the  grand  achievements  of  the  pro 
tracted  struggle.  In  extending  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  we  yield  nothing 
of  principle,  we  make  no  compromise  with  an  unjustifiable  rebellion;  but  we 
maintain  that  fraternal  spirit  which  characterized  the  immortal  Lincoln  who, 
"  With  malice  toward  none,  with  charity  for  all,  pressed  toward  the  right  as 
God  gave  him  to  see  the  right." 

The  grand  old  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  its  proud  strength,  had  marched  and 
countermarched.  It  had  left  its  crimson  glories  at  Yorktown,  West  Point, 
and  on  many  another  battlefield.  It  had  been  in  sight  of  the  promised  land  of 
Richmond,  and  yet,  like  one  of  old,  entered  not  in.  Its  veterans  had  traversed 
swamps  thick  with  the  white,  luminous  vapor  of  pestilence.  Under  midnight 
skies  their  bodies  drank  in  foul,  heavy  mists,  while  the  scorching  sun  by  day 
told  on  wasting  strength,  as  one  after  another  of  those  whom  battle  had  spared 
fell  by  disease.  Following  this,  the  long  and  dispiriting  retreat  bore  sadly  on 
many  of  them.  Thousands  fell  by  the  wayside,  and  other  thousands  lingered 
for  weeks  and  months  and,  at  last,  died  miserable  deaths.  Sometimes 
defeated,  but  never  discouraged,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  no  time  refused 
to  perform  its  whole  duty.  It  was  a  magnificent  body  of  intelligent  soldiers, 
patient,  true,  brave  and  obedient;  an  honor  to  the  country,  commanding  the 
admiration  of  the  world. 

To  you,  my  comrades,  who  were  a  component  part  erf  that  army,  will  recur 
the  memory  of  the  four  years  of  terrible  war  from  Bull  Run  to  Appomattox. 
What  pen  can  fitly  describe,  or  what  voice  fully  express,  the  details  of  that 
heroic  struggle?  No  troops  took  a  more  honorable  part  in  the  several  engage 
ments  than  the  Thirty-ninth  Regiment,  New  York  Volunteers,  to  whom  this 
monument  is  erected,  and  whose  history  it  is  intended  to  perpetuate. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  270 

The  regiment  was  organized  in  the  city  of  New  York,  was  mustered  into 
the  service  of  the  United  States  on  May  28,  1861,  and  remained  in  the  service, 
actively  performing  field  duty,  until  July  I,  1865,  when  it  was  mustered  out  in 
pursuance  of  orders  from  the  War  Department.  It  is  entitled  to  bear  upon  its 
colors  the  names  of  the  following  battles  in  which  it  took  gallant  part: 
First  Bull  Run,  Wilderness, 

Cross  Keys,  Cold  Harbor, 

Gettysburg,  Totopotomoy, 

North  Anna,  Petersburg, 

Bristoe  Station,  Strawberry  Plains, 

Po  River,  Reams  Station, 

Mine  Run,  Deep  Bottom, 

Spotsylvania,  Appomattox. 

It  took  into  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  four  companies,  the  remnant  of  the 
regiment,  consisting  of  a  fraction  of  over  300  men,  of  whom  15  were  killed 
and  80  wounded.  It  especially  distinguished  itself  upon  this  field  by  charg 
ing  the  enemy,  driving  them  from  their  guns  and  retaking  Battery  I, 
Fifth  United  States  Artillery,  which  had  met  with  great  loss  of  men  and 
horses,  and  had  been  abandoned.  The  regiment  conveyed  the  battery 
safely  to  the  rear.  Lieut.  Samuel  Peeples,  of  the  Fifth  United  States  Artillery, 
was  with  the  Thirty-ninth  at  this  time,  and,  among  those  who  fell,  severely 
wounded,  was  Comrade  Albert  E.  Seifert,  the  popular  President  of  the  Veteran 
Association  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Regiment. 

It  is  fitting  and  appropriate  that  these  marks  of  honor  be  raised  upon 
this  ground;  for,  very  near  here,  occurred  the  famous  charge  of  Pickett's  Divi 
sion.  A  distinguished  Union  soldier  and  writer,  in  speaking  of  the  part  taken 
by  the  Second  Corps  (to  which  the  Thirty-ninth  was  attached),  says: 
"  Probably  no  grander  sight  was  ever  seen  in  the  war  than  when  the  Con 
federate  line,  as  if  on  parade,  moved  forward  to  the  attack  of  Hancock's  Corps. 
On  they  came,  while  the  thundering  cannon  made  great  gaps  in  their  ranks; 
closing  up,  with  the  promptness  of  a  drill,  they  passed  on;  nearing  our  lines, 
the  guns  were  double-shotted  with  canister,  and  dealt  terrible  devastation.  On 
they  pressed,  until  there  were  hand-to-hand  encounters  over  the  guns.  Hearts 
beat  quickly,  and  it  seemed  almost  as  if  the  day  was  lost;  but  Hancock  was 
there,  with  his  heroic  Second  Corps,  and,  at  every  point,  the  charge  was 
repulsed." 

Hancock  and  Gettysburg  are  inseparably  connected.  A  part  of  that  grand 
old  corps,  who  were  always  invincible,  was  the  Thirty-ninth  New  York  Volun 
teers,  whose  monument  we  this  day  dedicate. 

I  cannot  refrain  from  reading,  at  this  time,  the  grandest  and  most  perfect 
memorial  oration  ever  delivered,  and  it  is  highly  proper  that  it  should  be  read 
upon  this  spot;  for  it  was  here,  on  the  iQth  day  of  November,  1863,  that  Presi 
dent  Lincoln  delivered  the  original. 

"  Fourscore  and  seven  years  ago,  our  fathers  brought  forth  upon  this  con 
tinent  a  new  Nation,  conceived  in  Liberty,  and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that 
all  men  are  created  equal.  Now,  we  are  engaged  in  a  great  Civil  War,  testing 
whether  that  Nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated,  can  long 
endure.  We  are  met  on  a  great  battlefield  of  that  war.  We  have  come  to 


280  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

dedicate  a  portion  of  that  field  as  a  final  resting-place  for  those  who  gave  their 
lives  that  that  Nation  might  live.  It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we 
should  do  this.  But,  in  a  larger  sense,  we  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  con 
secrate,  we  cannot  hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living  and  dead,  who 
struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it  far  above  our  power  to  add  or  detract. 
The  world  will  little  note  nor  long  remember  what  we  say  here,  but  it  can  never 
forget  what  they  did  here.  It  is  for  us,  the  living,  rather  to  be  dedicated  here 
to  the  unfinished  work  which  they  who  fought  here  have  thus  far  so  nobly 
advanced.  It  is  rather  for  us  to  be  here  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining 
before  us;  that,  from  these  honored  dead,  we  take  increased  devotion  to  that 
cause  for  which  they  gave  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion ;  that  we  here  highly 
resolve  that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain;  that  this  Nation,  under  God, 
shall  have  a  new  birth  of  freedom;  and  that  government  of  the  People  by  the 
People  and  for  the  People  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth." 

"  Peace  hath  her  victories,  not  less  renowned  than  those  of  war."  The 
gratitude  of  a  free  people  has  called  some  of  us  to  fill  high  civic  stations,  and 
has  imposed  upon  all  of  us  stern  responsibilities.  The  lessons  we  all  learned 
amid  the  roar  of  artillery,  the  exact  and  uncompromising  teachings  of  the 
God  of  Battles,  have  made  us  mindful  of  our  duties  as  citizens.  We  were 
unworthy  of  the  name  of  patriot-soldiers  should  we  fail  to  comprehend  the 
necessities  of  our  citizenship.  We  plowed  the  furrows  in  which  the  seeds  of 
our  new  liberties  were  scattered;  we  would  be  but  poor  husbandmen  if  we 
should  fail  to  nurture  and  to  tend  the  fruit  of  our  own  planting.  And,  if  to 
review  with  pride  these  evidences  of  our  workmanship  shall  be  esteemed  undue 
egotism  on  our  part,  we  accept  the  criticism  that  may  be  applied  to  us;  for, 
while  life  sends  its  currents  through  our  veins,  while  memories  of  the  old  flag 
endure,  while  comrades  live  for  us  to  cherish,  or  while  the  names  of  our  dead 
heroes  remain  engraven  upon  the  tablets  of  our  hearts,  we  shall  meet  to 
rehearse  the  story  of  our  common  dangers,  resulting  from  our  common 
impulses  and  culminating  in  our  common  glories.  Thank  God  for  the  history 
we  have  made!  Thank  God  for  the  Union  Army  which,  formed  from  the 
citizens  of  the  land  who  moved  solely  under  the  inspiration  of  patriotism, 
rushed  to  the  defense  of  an  assailed  country! 

Comrades  and  Friends:  While  we  glory  to-day  in  the  success  of  the 
Union  Army,  which  preserved  our  heritage,  while,  with  uncovered  heads  and 
with  hearts  throbbing  with  gratitude,  we  dedicate  this  monument  to  our  heroes 
"  gone  before,"  let  us,  gathering  instruction  and  inspiration  from  the  past, 
bury  in  me  grave  all  prejudices  and  passions  born  of  conflict.  We  are  one 
Nation,  from  the  Lakes  to  the  Gulf,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific;  one  Hope 
beckons  us,  one  Destiny  awaits  us.  The  times  call  for  clear  heads,  pure  hearts 
and  loyalty  to  Truth.  In  the  ranks  of  loyalty  to  every  interest  of  our  favored 
land,  and,  with  the  cadenced  step  of  fearless  virtue,  let  us  march  on  to  the 
fairest  fields  of  Liberty. 

"  By  few  is  Glory's  wreath  attained, 

Though  Death,  or  soon  or  late,  awaiteth  all, 
To  fight  in  Freedom's  cause  is  something  gained 
And  nothing  lost  —  to  fall." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  281 

UNVEILING  OF  MONUMENT 

July  2,  1895. 

ORATION  OF  LIEUT.  HENRY  DIETRICH. 


ON  THIS  SPOT  BATTERY  I,  STH  U.  S.  ARTILLERY,  WAS  ON  THE  SECOND 

DAY  OF  JULY,   1863,  RETAKEN  FROM  THE  ENEMY  BY  THE  3QTH 

REGT.  N.  Y.    VOL, 


KAMERADEN  DES  39.  REGIMENTS  UND  VEREHRTE  ANWESENDE! 

Diese  wenigen  Worte,  welche  Sie  auf  den  Granitblock  vor  Ihnen  einge- 
meisselt  sehen  bekunden  den  Zweck  nnserer  heutigen  Zusammenkunft. 

Die  Regierung  des  Staates  New  York,  in  Anerkennung  und  gerechter 
Wiirdigung  der  ehrenhaften  Waffenthat,  welche  an  jenem  denkwurdigen  Tage 
des  2.  Juli  1863  von  dem  39.  Regiment  mit  Erfolg  ausgefiihrt  wurde,  hat  jenen 
Markstein  auf  demselben  Flecken  errichten  lassen,  wo  vor  32  Jahren  Battery  I 
stand  und  mit  vernichtender  Gewalt  ihre  Geshosse  in  die  Reihen  des  Feindes 
sandte,  bis  sie,  der  Uebermacht  weichend,  von  diesem  genommen,  aber  durch 
tins  seinen  Handen  wieder  entrissen  wurde. 

Und  zur  Einweihung  dieses  Monuments  sind  wir,  die  wenigen  uberlebenden 
Veteranen  jener  denkwurdigen  Epoche,  hier  versammelt. 

Kameraden!  Wem  von  tins  schlagt  das  Herz  nicht  holier",  aber  wem  kommen 
auch  nicht  Thranen  der  Wehmuth  und  Riihrung,  wenn  wir  zuriick  denken  an 
jene  ereignissreiche  Zeit,  jene  blutigen  Jahre  des  Bruderkampfes?  Damals 
jung,  kraftig,  in  der  Fiille  der  Jugend,  boten  wir  trotzig  und  furchtlos  dem 
Feinde  die  Stirn,  und  heute  —  als  alte  Veteranen,  auf  deren  gefurchten  Wangen 
und  gebleichtem  Haupte  der  Griffel  der  Natur  mit  deutlichen  Ziigen  das  her- 
annahende  Alter  gezeichnet,  stehen  wir  mit  dem  Palmenzweige  des  Friedens  in 
der  Hand  auf  demselben  Boden,  der  eine  unserer  schonsten  Waffenthaten 
kennzeichnet;  auf  die  wir  mit  Recht  stolz  sein  und  auf  die  wir  zu  jeder  Zeit 
hinweisen  konnen,  ohne  uns  des  Selbstlobes  und  der  Selbstiiberschatzung 
schuldig  zu  machen.  f 

Als  wir  am  Nachmittage  des  2.  Juli  von  unserer  Position  aus  in  ostlicher 
Richtung  dem  linken  Fliigel  zu  auf  dem  Hohenzuge  im  Schnellschritt  dahin- 
eilten,  ahnten  wir  nicht,  was  uns  bevorstand,  und  selbst  als  von  unserem  braven 
Brigade-General  Willard  das  Commando  gegeben  wurde:  "  Charge  bayonet, 
forward  march!  "  war  uns  der  Zweck  unseres  Angriffs  noch  nicht  klar;  aber  mit 
dem  echten  Spursinn  des  alten  Soldaten  fiihlten  wir,  dass  uns  heisse  und  harte 
Arbeit  erwartete,  and  vorwarts  ging  es  im  dichten  Kugelregen,  ohne  Trommel- 
schlag  oder  Trompetensignal,  aber  mit  einem  Hurrah  das  wie  Brausen  des 
Sturmes  in  the  Reihen  des  Feindes  drang  und  der  nach  kurzer  Gegenwehr  in 
den  nahen  Wald  zuriickdegrankt  wurde.  Die  Battery  war  unser  und  die  Ehre 
des  Tages  gerettet  aber  nicht  ohne  schwere  Opfer,  15  Todte  and  80  Verwundete 
standen  auf  der  Liste. 


282  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Kameraden!  Ich  kann  hier  die  Einzelheiten  des  Kampfes  nicht  schildern, 
aber  das  Bild  jener  Stunde  wird  Jedem  von  Euch  unvergesslich  vor  Augen 
stehen. 

Mit  lodernder  Flamme  schwang  die  Furie  des  Krieges  ihre  Fackel  und  ehe 
die  Sonne  zur  Neige  ging,  hatte  manches  junge  Leben  den  Heldentod  gefunden. 
Zerstampft  war  der  Boden  und  zerknickt  die  Blumen  des  Feldes,  auf  dem  wir 
standen.  Sie  waren  der  einzige  Schmuck,  den  wir  unseren  gefallenen  Kame 
raden  noch  mit  auf  die  lange  Reise  geben  konnten  und  kiissten  selbst  im 
Welken  noch  ihren  Bliithenduft  auf  die  kalte  Stirn  der  Gefallenen. 

Das  war  vor  32  Jahren.  Heute  stehen  wir  auf  demselben  geweihten  Boden. 
Neues  Leben  ist  der  keimenden  'Flur  entsprossen,  aber 

"  Heute  stort  kein  Schlachtenruf  die  Ruh' 

"  Und  unsre  Kameraden  die  gefallen, 

"  Deckt  lange  schon  der  griine  Rasen  zu  " 

Waren  sie  doch  heute  hier,  die  alten  Jungen!  Ihnen  wurde  das  Gluck  nicht  zu 
Theil,  das  Resultat  der  Arbeit  zu  sehen,  an  der  sie  so  heldenmuthig  mitge- 
holfen  haben,  und  die  sie  mit  ihrem  Blute  besiegelten.  Ihnen  wurde  die  Freude 
nicht  zu  Theil,  dieses  stolze  Monument  zu  erblicken,  welches  eine  dankbare 
Regierung  in  Anerkennung  unserer  Waffenthat  errichtet  hat. 

Aber  ihr  Andenken  wollen  wir  wahren,  und  so  lange  noch  ein  Veteran  des 
39.  Regiments  lebt,  sollen  ihre  Namen  in  Ehren  gehalten  werden. 

Schauen  Sie  hiniiber  nach  jenem  Monument.  Es  ist  das  Geschichtsbuch 
unseres  Regiments  und  seinem  Andenken  gewidmet.  Es  wird  da  stehen,  dem 
Zahn  der  Zeit  trotzend  und  spateren  Generationen  Aufschluss  geben  iiber  die 
Thaten  des  Regiments. 

Wir  aber,  die  wenigen  Ueberlebenden,  die  wir  in  Reih  und  Glied  zusammen 
gestanden  und  die  Gefahren  des  Krieges  muthig  getheilt,  uns  bindet  die  gleiche 
Kette  der  Kriegskameradschaft  fur  ewige  Zeiten,  und  so  lasst  uns  denn  Ange- 
sichts  dieses  Monuments  auch  fernerhin  treue  Kameradschaft  geloben,  bis  der 
Letzte  von  uns  zum  Appell  in  die  grosse  Armee  abberufen  wird. 


THE  GARIBALDI  GUARD  AND  ITS  SERVICES. 

The  Thirty-ninth  New  York  was  the  first  regiment  from  the  State  to  enlist 
for  three  years.  The  thirty-eight  regiments  accepted  prior  to  its  muster  into 
service  were  all  sworn  in  for  two  years.  It  was,  also,  the  first  of  the  fourteen 
regiments  which  the  President  authorized  the  Union  Defence  Committee  to 
organize  and  equip  on  account  of  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  Thirty-ninth  was  remarkable  for  its  mixed  nationality  and  the  large 
number  of  European  countries  represented  in  its  ranks ;  there  were  three  com 
panies  composed  of  Hungarians,  three  of  Germans,  one  Italian,  one  Swiss, 
one  French,  and  one  composed  of  Spaniards  and  Portuguese.  Many  of  these 
men  had  served  in  Europe  before  coming  to  America,  and  some  of  them  had 
experience  on  the  field  of  battle. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  283 

Recruiting-  commenced  at  the  first  call  to  arms,  and  on  May  28,  1861,  the 
regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service,  with  the  following  field 
officers: 

Frederick  George  D'Utassy,  Colonel. 

Alexander  Repetti,  Lieut.  Colonel. 

George  E.  Waring,  Jr.,  Major. 

The  regiment  adopted  the  title  "  Garibaldi  Guards,"  as  its  designation,  by 
which  synonym  it  was  known  throughout  the  war.  It  was  provided  with  a 
distinctive  uniform,  by  the  Union  Defence  Committee,  of  dark  blue  cloth,  black 
leather  leggings,  and  Garibaldi  hat  with  black  plume. 

Three  flags  were  presented  with  appropriate  ceremonies  before  it  left  New 
York.  One  was  a  National  flag  —  stars  and  stripes  —  made  of  heavy  silk 
with  gold  fringe  and  tassels,  and  a  golden  eagle  on  top  of  the  staff.  Another 
was  a  richly  embroidered  Hungarian  standard  with  red,  white  and  green  stripes, 
bearing  within  a  wreath  the  motto  "  Vincere  Aut  Morire,"  while  over  and 
under  the  wreath  appeared  the  name  of  the  regiment..  The  third  flag  attracted 
considerable  attention,  as  it  was  one  of  the  tri-color  standards  borne  by  Gari 
baldi's  men  triumphantly  in  the  campaign  of  1848-49,  and  which  the  revolu 
tionary  hero  once  planted  with  his  own  hand  on  the  battlements  of  one  of  the 
castles  in  Rome. 

The  regiment  left  New  York  on  May  28th,  cheered  by  the  thousands  who 
assembled  to  witness  its  departure.  It  proceeded  to  Washington,  where  it 
was  reviewed  by  President  Lincoln  on  its  arrival,  after  which  it  crossed  the 
Potomac  into  Virginia  and  encamped  at  Alexandria. 

Having  been  assigned  to  Blenker's  Brigade,  of  Miles's  Division,  it  was  pres 
ent  at  the  battle  of  First  Bull  Run,  where  the  division,  which  was  held  in 
reserve,  covered  the  retreat  of  the  army.  The  loss  of  the  Thirty-ninth  was  2 
killed,  5  wounded,  and  54  captured  or  missing;  total,  61. 

After  this  battle  the  "  Garibaldis  "  encamped  at  Roach's  Mills,  where  they 
were  engaged  in  drill  and  picket  duty.  They  also  worked  on  the  construction 
of  Fort  Blenker  and  other  fortifications.  In  November,  the  regiment  went  into 
winter  quarters  near  Hunter's  Chapel.  During  the  winter  it  was  assigned  to 
Stand's  Brigade  of  Blenker's  Division,  a  division  composed  entirely  of  regi 
ments  in  which  the  men  were  of  foreign  birth,  the  most  of  them  being  Germans. 

When  General  McClellan's  army  advanced  in  March,  1862,  Blenker's 
Division,  then  in  Sumner's  (Second)  Corps,  made  a  reconnoisance  to  Warren- 
ton  Junction,  Va.,  driving  the  enemy  across  the  Rappahannock.  Upon  the 
embarkation  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  for  the  Peninsula,  this  division  was 
withheld  and  ordered  to  join  Fremont's  Army  in  West  Virginia,  where  it 
arrived  after  a  series  of  long  and  fatiguing  marches,  made  in  stormy,  inclement 
weather,  without  proper  food  and  supplies. 

Stahel's  Brigade  was  hotly  engaged  on  June  8,  1862,  at  the  battle  of  Cross 
Keys,  Va.,  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  where  the  Garibaldi  Guard  won  especial 
mention  in  the  official  report  of  General  Fremont.  Lieutenant  Jordan  was 
mortally  wounded  in  this  action.  A  few  weeks  later  the  Thirty-ninth  was 
detached  from  Blenker's  Division,  and  assigned  to  Banks's  Corps. 


284  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

When  Gen.  Julius  White's  Brigade,  to  which  the  Garibaldi  Guard  was  then 
attached,  fell  back  from  Winchester  to  Harper's  Ferry  on  September  4,  1862, 
the  regiment  accompanied  it,  and  so  was  included  in  the  subsequent  surrender 
of  that  stronghold.  Previous  to  the  surrender,  the  Thirty-ninth  participated 
in  the  fighting  on  Maryland  Heights  where  15  of  its  men  were  wounded. 
At  the  capitulation  the  entire  regiment,  numbering  545  officers  and  men, 
became  prisoners  of  war. 

Having  been  released  on  parole,  the  regiment  marched  to  Annapolis,  Md., 
from  whence  it  was  ordered  to  Camp  Douglas,  at  Chicago,  there  to  await 
exchange.  Notice  of  exchange  being  received,  the  Thirty-ninth  returned  to 
Washington,  arriving  there  November  27,  1862.  Proceeding  to  Centreville, 
Va.,  it  went  into  winter  quarters,  where  it  remained  during  the  ensuing  seven 
months.  In  the  meantime  Colonel  D'Utassy  was  dismissed  from  the  service, 
May  29,  1863,  and  Augustus  Funk  was  commissioned  in  his  place.  While 
at  Centreville,  the  brigade  consisted  of  the  Thirty-ninth,  One  hundred  and 
eleventh,  One  hundred  and  twenty-fifth  and  One  hundred  and  twenty-sixth 
New  York,  Gen.  Alexander  Hays  being  in  command. 

On  June  25th  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
then  on  its  march  to  Gettysburg,  and  was  assigned  to  the  Third  Division, 
Second  Corps.  General  Hays  having  been  placed  in  command  of  this  division, 
Col.  George  L.  Willard,  of  the  One  hundred  and  twenty-fifth  New  York  was 
given  command  of  the  brigade. 

Breaking  camp  on  the  25th  of  June,  it  overtook  the  Second  Corps  near 
Gettysburg  by  making  a  forced  march  of  several  days,  and  on  the  morning 
of  July  2d,  the  second  day  of  the  battle,  the  brigade  went  into  position  on  the 
right  of  the  corps,  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  at  a  place  near  Cemetery  Hill.  The 
regfment,  which  had  been  consolidated  into  four  companies,  numbered  322 
present  for  duty,  and  was  under  command  of  Maj.  Hugo  Hildebrandt. 

Soon  after  its  arrival,  General  Hays  ordered  the  four  companies  of  the 
Thirty-ninth  forward  to  the  skirmish  line.  The  battalion  deployed  and  for 
over  four  hours  was  actively  engaged  with  the  skirmishers  of  the  enemy, 
rendering  efficient  service,  and  eliciting  the  admiration  of  all  who  witnessed 
the  movements  and  courageous  bearing  of  the  men.  But  the  skirmishers  of 
the  enemy  fought  well  also,  and  the  Garibaldis  lost  28  in  killed  and  wounded 
while  holding  their  line.  Lieut.  Adolph  Wagner  was  mortally  wounded  dur 
ing  this  affair. 

About  4  o'clock  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  the  left  of  the  line  to  assist  in 
the  desperate  fighting  which  was  raging  around  the  position  of  Sickles'  Corps. 
Willard  formed  the  three  other  regiments  of  his  brigade  for  a  charge,  placing 
the  Garibaldis  on  his  left  to  protect  his  flank.  The  charge  was  successful, 
but  the  gallant  Willard  fell  from  his  horse  dead  at  the  moment  of  victory. 
The  men  of  the  Thirty-ninth  were  not  in  this  charge;  but,  while  guarding  Hie 
left  flank  of  the  brigade,  they  were  asked  to  retake  the  guns  of  Watson's  Bat 
tery  (I,  Fifth  U.  S.  Artillery),  which  had  been  captured  by  the  Twenty-first 
Mississippi,  of  Barksdale's  Brigade.  Led  by  Lieutenant  Peeples  of  the  bat 
tery,  the  battalion  of  Garibaldis  rushed  forward,  cheering  as  they  went,  and 
driving  the  Mississippians  from  the  guns,  assisted  the  batterymen  in  turning 
them  on  the  retreating  Confederates. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  285 

After  this  affair  on  the  left,  the  brigade  returned  to  its  position  near  Ceme 
tery  Hill,  where,  on  the  next  day,  it  lay  under  the  terrific  fire  of  the  enemy's 
batteries  during  the  grand  cannonade  that  preceded  the  great  infantry  charge 
of  Pickett's  and  Pettigrew's  divisions.  The  Thirty-ninth  took  an  active  part 
in  the  repulse  of  Pettigrew's  Division,  losing  some  more  men  killed  and 
wounded.  During  its  two  days  fighting  at  Gettysburg  the  regiment  lost  15 
killed  and  80  wounded,  including  those  mortally  so;  total,  95.  There  were 
none  missing.  Major  Hildebrandt  was  severely  wounded;  Lieut.  Theodore 
Paush  was  killed,  and  Lieutenant  Wagner  mortally  wounded.  The  loss  in 
the  regiment  was  over  50  per  cent,  of  the  number  carried  into  action. 

The  Garibaldi  Guard  accompanied  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  its  pursuit 
of  Lee's  retreating  forces,  and,  recrossing  the  Potomac,  returned  to  Virginia. 
Major  Hildebrandt  recovered  from  his  wound,  and,  returning  to  the  regi 
ment,  commanded  it  at  the  battle  of  Bristoe  Station  and  in  the  Mine  Run 
campaign. 

On  December  12,  1863,  the  battalion  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Stevens- 
burg,  Va.,  south  of  the  Rapidan  River,  the  main  army  being  in  that  vicinity 
and  near  Brandy  Station.  During  December,  1863,  and  January,  1864,  a  large 
number  of  recruits  were  received,  in  number  sufficient  to  organize  six  new 
companies,  and  the  Garibaldi  Guard  regained  its  ten  company  formation.  This 
accession  of  recruits  made  a  great  change  in  the  nationalities  represented  in 
the  regiment,  most  of  the  new  men  being  Irish  or  Americans. 

A  reconnoissance  in  force  was  made  by  Hays'  Division,  February  6,  1864, 
the  troops  crossing  the  Rappahannock  River  at  Morton's  Ford.  The  Gari 
baldis,  under  command  of  Lieut.  Col.  James  G.  Hughes,  a  newly-commissioned 
officer  who  had  joined  the  regiment  but  a  short  time  before,  forded  the  cold 
and  rapid  river,  then  waist  deep,  and  assisted  in  driving  the  Confederates  from 
their  rifle  pits  on  the  opposite  side.  The  regiment  carried  18  officers  and 
390  men  into  this  action,  most  of  them  recruits  who  encountered  here  their 
first  experience  under  fire.  It  was  the  second  regiment  of  the  division  to  form 
line  on  the  enemy's  side  of  the  river.  In  this  affair  the  Thirty-ninth  lost  21 
men  killed  and  wounded,  and  15  captured. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  reorganized  on  March  25,  1864,  by  the  con 
solidation  of  some  of  the  corps.  Under  this  new  arrangement  the  Thirty- 
ninth  was  assigned  to  Frank's  (Third)  Brigade,  Barlow's  (First)  Division,  Han 
cock's  (Second)  Corps.  This  brigade,  in  which  it  served  to  the  end  of  the 
war,  was  commanded  by  Col.  Paul  Frank,  and  was  composed  of  these 
regiments: 

Thirty-ninth  New  York,  Col.  Augustus  Funk. 

Fifty-second  New  York,  Maj.  Henry  M.  Karples. 

Fifty-seventh  New  York,  Lieut.  Col.  A.  B.  Chapman. 

One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  New  York,  Capt.  Aaron  P.  Seeley. 

One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth  New  York,  Lieut.  Col.  Aaron  B.  Myer. 

One  Hundred  and  Twenty-sixth  New  York,  Capt.  Winfield  Scott. 

Although  two  new  regiments  were  added,  the  brigade  remained,  as  at  Get 
tysburg,  a  New  York  brigade,  and  one  of  which  the  Empire  State  might  well 
be  proud. 


286  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

In  the  fighting  at  the  Wilderness  and  Spotsylvania,  the  regiment  lost  216  in 
killed  and  wounded;  also,  49  in  missing  or  captured;  total,  265.  Lieutenants 
O'Keefe  and  McGarry  were  killed  at  Spotsylvania.  At  the  Wilderness,  the 
colonel,  lieutenant-colonel,  and  five  line  officers  were  wounded.  At  Spotsyl 
vania  the  regiment  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  its  colors.  Another  one  of  the 
field  officers  being  wounded  here,  the  command  devolved  on  Capt.  D.  A. 
Allen. 

After  further  fighting  at  Totopotomoy  Creek  and  Cold  Harbor,  the  regi 
ment,  under  command  of  Captain  Allen,  arrived  at  Petersburg,  where  it  par 
ticipated  in  the  assault  of  June  i8th,  losing  28  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  24 
missing  or  captured. 

The  term  of  the  original  Garibaldi  Guard  having  expired,  the  survivors  then 
in  service,  about  150  in  number,  under  command  of  Captain  Rasmussen, 
returned  to  New  York,  where  they  arrived  June  10,  1864,  and  were  mustered 
out  of  service  soon  after. 

The  departure  of  the  old  battalion  reduced  the  Thirty-ninth  to  six  com 
panies;  but  in  October,  1864,  a  company  of  recruits,  composed  of  one-year 
men,  raised  at  Malone,  N.  Y.,  joined  the  regiment. 

The  Thirty-ninth  was  actively  engaged  in  the  trenches  during  the  long 
siege  of  Petersburg;  also  in  the  battles  of  the  Weldon  Railroad,  Deep  Bottom, 
Strawberry  Plains,  and  Reams'  Station.  In  the  latter  engagement,  Capt.  Theo 
dore  F.  Rich,  a  brave  and  accomplished  officer,  was  killed. 

On  March  29,  1865,  it  started  on  the  final  campaign  and  series  of  battles 
which  ended  at  Appomattox.  At  the  battle  of  White  Oak  Ridge,  March  3ist, 
Colonel  Funk  was  wounded,  after  which  Major  Hyde  commanded  the  battalion 
until  the  close  of  the  fighting. 

Lee  having  surrendered,  the  Thirty-ninth,  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
returned  to  Washington,  where  it  marched  in  the  Grand  Review  with  which 
the  army  appropriately  finished  its  glorious  and  successful  career.  The  regi 
ment  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  on  July  I,  1865,  after 
which  it  returned  to  New  York,  where  it  was  disbanded. 


J.    B.   LVUN   I'KINT. 


F.  J.  SKVEUENCE,   PHOTO. 


40TH    NEW   YORK    INFANTRY. 
In  Plum  Run  Valley.    Big  Round  Top  in  the  distance,  on  the  left. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  287 


(INSCRIPTIONS) 


(Right  Side) 

40TH 

N.  Y.  INFTY 

(MOZART  REGIMENT) 

SRD  BRIG.  IST  DIV.  SRD  CORPS 

JULY  2,  1863;  4.30  P.M. 

CASUALTIES 

KILLED  23 

WOUNDED  120 

MISSING 

7 

(Reverse) 

THIS 

REGIMENT 

WAS  MUSTERED 

IN  JUNE  27,  1861 

MUSTERED  OUT 

JUNE  27,  1865 

COMPANIES  B,  G,  H,  AND  K,  WERE 

FROM  THE  STATE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 

CASUALTIES  IN  THE  REGIMENT 

DURING  THE  WAR 
KILLED,  OFFICERS  9,  MEN  220. 

WOUNDED, 

OFFICERS  40,  MEN  692. 
MISSING,  OFFICERS  2 

MEN  266. 
TOTAL,  1,229 


288  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT. 
40TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

July  2,  1888. 

ORATION  OF  CORPORAL  JAMES  TANNER. 

COMRADES  OF  THE  FORTIETH,  AND  FRIENDS: 

An  impaired  physical  condition  and  a  deep  sense  of  the  poverty  of  words 
on  such  an  occasion  as  this  impel  me  to  brevity  of  speech. 

I  count  it  not  the  least  by  far  among  the  honors  of  my  life  that  I  am  per 
mitted  to  stand  here  on  this  occasion  and  at  least  try  and  voice  your  heart 
thoughts.  But  no  words  of  yours  or  mine  are  necessary  to  make  secure  the 
fame  of  those  whose  heroic  endeavor  is  typified  in  this  memorial  we  meet  to 
formally  dedicate  to-day.  That  was  secure  for  all  time  when  twenty-five  years 
ago  the  rattle  of  the  musketry  and  the  roar  of  the  cannon  were  hushed  on  the 
field  of  Gettysburg.  Here  was  met  and  beaten  back  the  topmost  wave  of 
rebellion's  bloody  crest.  Here  the  God  of  battles  thundered  forth,  "  Thus  far, 
and  no  farther  shalt  thou  go."  Among  the  almost  countless  memorials  which 
now  or  may  hereafter  deck  this  one  time  bloody  field,  our  tenderest  affections 
cling  to  this  in  memory  of  our  dead.  They  were  our  associates  in  camp  and 
on  march,  in  bivouac  and  battle.  With  us,  they  trod  many  a  hard  fought 
field,  shared  our  defeats  and  triumphs,  'till  some  fateful  day  when,  with  the 
hot  breath  of  battle  full  in  our  faces,  we  heard  one  short  agonizing  cry, 
and  a  glance  right  or  left  told  us  that  a  dear  face,  a  familiar  form  was  only 
to  be  found  hereafter  in  the  presence  of  the  patriot  host,  gone  before.  How 
fully  this  insensate  stone  tells  the  story!  1,229  killed,  wounded,  and  missing! 
Verily,  they  wrote  their  record  in  their  hearts'  blood. 

That  was  a  grand  oration  we  listened  to  a  few  moments  since  from  the  elo 
quent  lips  of  the  orator  of  the  Excelsior  Brigade.  The  men  he  spoke  of 
deserve  every  laudatory  word  uttered,  and  I  thought,  as  with  you  I  sat  under 
the  charm  of  that  eloquent  tongue,  how  heartily  we  of  the  Fortieth  could 
applaud  every  sentence  uttered;  for  when  all  has  been  said  of  them  that  can  be 
said,  we  take  our  places  here  by  the  side  of  our  memorial,  and  with  hearts 
full  of  the  richness  of  memory  of  the  grand  comradeship  it  was  our  privilege 
to  enjoy  during  those  bloody  years,  we  proudly  proclaim,  "  This  we  dedicate 
to  the  memory  of  those  who  were  the  equals  of  any." 

Intimacy  of  association  with  the  members  of  the  Fortieth,  beyond  that  which 
came  from  membership  of  the  same  division,  was  denied  me  during  the  war. 
In  my  active  service  I  followed  the  flag  of  the  Eighty-seventh,  and  it  was  not 
till  I  had  done  with  campaigning  that  the  Eighty-seventh  was  consolidated 
with  the  Fortieth,  and  those  with  whom  I  had  touched  elbows  fell  into  your 
ranks.  Then  to  my  bed  of  pain  there  came  loving  messages  from  under  your 
flag,  and  thus  it  was  that  through  all  your  weary  and  bloody  wanderings,  my 
heart,  and  hopes,  and  dreams  and  prayers  were  indissolubly  knit  with  yours. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  289 

I  am  particularly  rejoiced  to  see  so  many  of  the  later  generation  with  us  on 
this  occasion.  I  wonder  sometimes  if  it  be  possible  for  them  to  realize  the 
awful  responsibility  which  fell  upon  us  in  those  days  of  '61.  Life  was  as  fair 
and  beautiful  to  us  then  as  it  is  to  you  in  these  summer  days  of  '88,  young 
men.  Hope  was  as  high  in  the  heart,  ambition  as  fully  fired  in  the  brain,  busi 
ness  opportunities  looked  as  favorable,  woman's  eye  beamed  as  brightly,  her 
cheeks  were  as  rosy,  her  lips  as  sweet  to  us  then  as  you  will  each  find  your 
particular  hers  to-night.  Suddenly,  like  a  clap  of  thunder  from  a  clear  sky 
came  the  roar  of  the  guns  from  Sumter,  and  in  an  instant  these  men  to  whose 
memory  we  dedicate  this  testimonial  of  their  valor  and  our  loving  appreciation, 
realized  that  they  stood  face  to  face  with  a  crucial  test. 

All  unused  to  the  arts  of  war,  familiar  only  with  paths  of  peace,  they  were 
called  in  an  instant  in  the  presence  of  an  enlightened  and  observant  world, 
with  the  founders  and  preservers  of  the  Republic  looking  down  from  regions 
of  the  blessed,  to  stand  forth  and  prove  whether  or  no  they  were  worthy  sons 
of  honored  sires.  How  well  they  answered  all  history  tells,  and  in  such  a 
manner  that  generations  yet  to  come  shall  shout  their  acclaim.  They  came 
from  mill  and  mart,  from  court  and  college,  and  city's  busy  ways,  and  country's 
quiet  walk,  down  hillside  and  through  valley.  Their  hastening  footsteps  left 
their  imprint  on  the  verdure  covered  plains  of  the  West,  their  iron  clad  heels 
rang  out  a  chorus  of  patriotic  defiance  as  with  swinging  rhythm  they  tramped 
the  stony  pavements  of  our  great  cities.  They  belted  this  country  across  with 
a  line  of  blue,  and  against  the  swelling,  rushing  hosts  of  rebellion  they  threw 
up  a  breastwork  composed  of  their  own  great  hearts. 

Ah!  those  were  grand  days.  Those  were  grand  men.  They  went  out  for 
the  Union.  "  The  Union  as  it  was,"  was  the  first  cry.  No  talk  or  thought  of 
interfering  with  any  of  the  old  time  institutions  of  the  land  or  with  any  part 
thereof.  We  fought  on  that  line  for  some  time.  Thank  God  we  were  licked  on 
that  line,  and  finally  it  dawned  upon  the  brains  of  those  who  sat  around  the  table 
of  the  Council  of  State,  it  was  recognized  by  the  generals  commanding  our 
armies  —  aye,  it  was  canvassed  among  the  humble  braves  that  gathered 
around  our  bivouac  fires  —  that  God  Almighty  had  His  hand  upon  that  row 
and  would  not  let  it  still  till  equal  and  exact  justice  had  been  done  to  all  His 
creatures  without  regard  to  color.  Then  it  was  that  you  could  hear  our  line 
of  march  and  our  camp  fires  resound  with  that  grand  anthem,  "As  Christ  died 
to  make  men  holy,  so  we'll  die  to  make  men  free."  By  that  sign,  in  that  spirit 
we  conquered,  and  at  last  there  dawned  the  proud  day  when  that  fair  flag 
of  ours  floated  not  only  over  the  land  of  the  brave,  but  the  home  of  the  free. 
We  tore  the  venerable  lie  from  its  folds,  and  all  men  walked  with  prouder  step 
'neath  it  as  we  came  to  know  that  not  on  this  Republic's  soil  was  there  either 
master  or  slave. 

I  lay  clown  as  a  broad  and  unassailable  proposition  this  fact,  that  their  spirit 
of  self-sacrifice,  gallantry  of  effort  and  glory  of  achievement  have  never  been 
excelled  and  seldom  equalled  except  as  you  match  them  with  the  unselfishness 
of  spirit  in  which  they  strove.  Not  for  their  children  alone,  not  for  North,  East 
or  West,  but  for  all  the  Nation  did  they  make  their  gallant  endeavor;  and  in 
our  time,  thank  God,  we  see  the  broad  beneficence  of  the  work  they  did  so 

19 


290  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

well  for  all.  As  the  years  shall  go  rolling  down  the  corridors  of  time,  T  am 
happy  in  the  belief  that  among  those  who  most  rejoice  that  the  victory  rested 
with  us,  will  be  found  the  descendants  of  those  whose  mad  ambition  the  prowess 
of  our  comrades  sent  to  disaster  and  defeat.  I  greet  with  special  pleasure  the 
presence  to-day  on  this  historic  field  of  so  many  who  have  come  to  the  posses 
sion  of  life  or  years  of  understanding  since  this  "  Valley  of  Death  "  reverberated 
with  the  roar  of  battle  and  the  rush  of  contending  hosts. 

One  result  of  this  presence  must  be  to  correct  some  of  the  fallacies  which 
to  a  considerable  extent  exist.  The  student  of  current  magazine  literature, 
the  observer  of  the  numerous  cycloramic  exhibitions  of  the  battle  of  Gettys 
burg  may  possibly,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  will,  come  to  understand  that  Pickett's 
charge  was  a  thirty  minute  incident  in  a  three  days'  contest,  and  not  all  of  the 
battle.  Heroic  it  was,  but  let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  it  took  equal  heroism 
to  meet  it  and  break  it  and  hurl  it  back  in  disaster.  Gallant  it  certainly  was, 
and  as  hopeless  and  useless  as  gallant.  It  was  magnificent,  but  it  was  not 
war. 

Comrades  of  the  Fortieth,  it  was  a  grand  experience  we  had,  a  rich  com 
radeship  which  was  vouchsafed  to  us.  I  trust  we  are  better  men  therefor.  The 
army  was  a  great  school.  No  crucible  ever  yet  tested  metal  more  thoroughly 
than  army  life  tested  character.  How  often  it  was  that  parties  we  had  almost 
deified  in  our  mistaken  estimate,  suddenly,  when  put  to  the  test,  shrunk  and 
withered  away;  and  how  often  when  the  great  hour  of  trial  came,  some  modest 
soul  alongside  of  whom  we  had  been  marching,  all  unconscious  of  its  great 
worth,  was  suddenly  unfolded  before  us,  and  we  came  to  know  so  often  that  our 
association  was  with  those  of  true  knightly  character.  How  tenderly  precious 
those  memories  are  in  this  hour. 

A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  our  comrades  entered  into  their  last  bivouac. 
To-day  we  have  seen  the  reaper  of  the  peaceful  husbandman  trundling  its 
course  over  these  fields  where  twenty-five  years  ago  the  great  harvester  Death 
held  such  fearful  sway.  Birds  build  their  nests  in  the  mouths  of  cannon  which 
now  for  all  time  shall  silently  mark  the  field.  The  Blue  and  the  Gray,  in 
friendly  converse  recall  "  the  brave  days  of  old." 

The  land  is  at  peace  and  united,  thank  God.  We  who  survive  are  on  the 
far  side  of  the  hill  of  life.  Heads  are  whitening,  vitality  is  weakening;  soon 
shall  sound  the  bugle  calling  us  to  rest,  and  each  will  soon  lie  down  "  beneath 
the  low  green  tent  whose  curtain  never  outward  swings."  When  that  hour 
comes,  the  world  will  judge  in  its  worldly  way  whether  our  lives  have  been 
successful  or  not.  Whatever  that  judgment  may  be,  we  have  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  we  can  look  back  in  the  years  and  see  a  riven  Nation  which  by  the 
hearts'  blood  of  the  best  and  bravest,  and  with  our  help  was  welded  together 
for  all  time.  We  see  a  race  enslaved  in  the  past;  but  we  bid  good-bye  to  a 
Nation  of  free  men  as  we  shall  pass  on  to  join  the  fathers. 

Some  men  seek  the  selfish  success  of  life;  others,  in  the  grand  endeavor  for 
the  betterment  of  mankind,  grasp  enduring  fame.  Such  has  been  the  happy 
fortune  of  our  comrades.  To  their  memory,  on  whatever  field  they  fell,  we 
here  formally  dedicate  this  memorial.  When  you  and  I  have  long  been  dust 
and  ashes,  this  insensate  stone,  until  it  shall  by  the  action  of  time  be  reduced 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  2QI 

to  the  elements,  will  tell  to  all  people  the  story  of  those  who  held  life  so  cheap 
and  country  so  dear  that  they  cheerfully  flung  away  life  for  country.  After 
its  fitful  fever  they  sleep  well. 

General  Sickles,  to  you,  sir,  as  a  commissioner  representing  in  this  matter 
the  great  State  of  New  York,  it  is  my  duty,  honor  and  pleasure,  representing 
the  Veteran  Association  of  the  Fortieth  New  York  Volunteers,  to  formally 
transfer  this  monument  to  be,  by  you  at  the  proper  time,  handed  over  to  the 
proper  authorities. 


TO  THE  SPIRIT  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

(Gettysburg,  July  2,  1888.) 
By  RICHARD  WATSON  GILDER. 

Shade  of  our  greatest,  O  look  down  to-day! 
Here  for  three  suns  the  awful  battle  roared, 
And  brother  into  brother  plunged  his  sword; 

Here  foe  meets  foe  once  more  in  dread  array; 

Yet,  not  as  once  to  conquer  and  to  slay, 

But  to  strike  hands,  and  with  sublime  accord 
To  weep  heroic  tears  for  those  who  soared 

Straight  from  earth's  carnage  to  the  starry  way. 

Each  fought  for  what  he  deemed  the  people's  good 
And  proved  his  bravery  with  his  offered  life, 

And  sealed  his  honor  with  his  outpoured  blood; 
But  the  Eternal  did  direct  the  strife, 

And  from  this  sacred  field  a  patriotic  host 

Looks  up  to  thee,  thou  dear  majestic  ghost! 


ADDRESS  OF  GEORGE  E.  HARRINGTON. 
COMRADES: 

We  have  met  together  to-day  for  the  purpose  of  dedicating  to  our  dead 
comrades  this  beautiful  specimen  of  the  sculptor's  art.  It  is  the  generous  gift 
of  the  States  of  New  York  and  Massachusetts,  so  many  of  whose  sons  offered 
their  lives  for  the  preservation  of  our  glorious  Union.  I  offer  no  apology 
for  the  position  I  have  assumed  in  appearing  as  the  eulogist  of  the  dead  and 
the  mouth-piece  of  the  survivors.  I  was  one  of  the  youngest  men  of  the  regi 
ment,  and  though  there  are  many  far  more  capable  of  portraying  the  various 
scenes  and  incidents  through  which  we  passed  while  aiding  to  prevent  the  dis 
memberment  of  our  beloved  country,  the  lessons  inculcated  by  the  rigid  dis 
cipline  in  the  school  of  the  soldier  have  never  been  effaced.  So,  when  notified 
that  the  duty  devolved  on  me  to  give  a  brief  review  of  the  history  of  our  beloved 
regiment,  I  felt  that  it  would  be  an  excess  of  scrupulousness  on  my  part  to 
hesitate;  and  that  no  option  remained  but  to  obey  the  behest.  Hence  I  trust 
my  shortcomings  will  be  overlooked. 


292  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

\Yhen  the  shot  fired  at  Sumter  electrified  the  country,  the  loyal  youth  of 
the  North,  South,  East  and  West  sprang  to  arms,  eager  to  wipe  out  the  insult 
to  our  flag  and  sustain  its  honor  in  the  time  of  peril.  Among  these  were 
banded  four  companies  from  the  State  of  New  York,  four  from  Massachusetts, 
and  two  from  Pennsylvania,  who  were  subsequently  consolidated  together 
under  the  flag  of  the  "  Mozart  Regiment,"  typical  of  the  Union  for  which  they 
fought. 

They  were  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  at  Yonkers,  N.  Y., 
between  the  I4th  and  2/th  of  June,  1861,  and  on  July  4th  of  the  same  year, 
left  for  the  front  under  the  command  of  Col.  Edward  J.  Riley.  In  conjunction 
with  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York  and  the  Third  and  Fourth  Maine  Regiments, 
they  formed  the  First  Brigade  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  command 
of  that  sterling  patriot,  Gen.  John  Sedgwick.  Its  history  during  the  following 
winter  was  that  of  all  the  other  regiments  —  fatigue  duty,  drill,  and  picket  duty 
incessantly. 

On  March  17,  1862,  the  regiment  was  in  the  van  of  that  brave  army  which 
heroically  struggled  through  the  Peninsular  Campaign.  At  Yorktown  it  was 
among  the  first  in  the  enemy's  works,  and  it  was  here  baptized  in  the  shedding 
of  its  first  blood  for  the  Union,  Company  H  having  left  7  men  killed  and 
wounded  upon  the  field  by  the  explosion  of  a  torpedo. 

At  Williamsburg,  May  5,  1862,  the  regiment  was  tried  on  the  field  of  battle. 
Here  permit  me  to  quote  from  General  Kearny's  letter  to  the  Governor  of 
New  York  as  to  the  record  they  then  made.  "  New  York  will  ever  hold  her 
place  as  the  Empire  State  while  represented  by  such  sons  as  these."  Again 
in  his  report  he  says:  ''The  left  wing  of  Colonel  Riley's  Regiment,  the  For 
tieth  New  York  (Mozart)  was  then  sent  for,  the  right  wing  under  Colonel 
Riley  being  gallantly  engaged  in  front.  They  came  up  brilliantly,  conducted 
by  Capt.  G.  W.  Mindil,  chief  of  General  Birney's  staff.  They  charged  up 
to  the  open  space,  silenced  some  light  artillery,  gained  the  enemy's  rear,  and 
caused  him  to  relinquish  his  cover.  The  victory  was  ours."  In  his  supple 
mentary  report  he  says:  "The  Fortieth  New  York  performed  noble  and 
efficient  services.  Colonel  Riley,  with  great  spirit,  held  the  right  wing  with 
half  his  regiment,  after  the  other  half,  with  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York,  had 
been  withdrawn  to  act  under  my  personal  direction.  The  part  of  the  Fortieth 
acting  on  the  road  against  the  central  pits  and  abattis,  charging  down  the  road 
into  the  plain,  passed  beyond  the  enemy's  flank,  and  by  their  severe  fire  drove 
off  several  pieces  of  artillery,  brought  expressly  against  them."  General  Birney, 
the  brigade  commander,  also,  in  his  report  used  the  same  language  almost 
verbatim,  adding:  "  Captain  Mindil  and  Captain  Gesnor,  of  the  left  wing 
behaved  well  under  the  terrible  fire  that  greeted  them  and  led  the  brave  offi 
cers  and  men  under  them  gallantly  and  worthily;"  and  still  further  adds:  "I 
ask  that  Congress  by  special  resolutions  authorize  the  Thirty-eighth  New 
York  to  place  upon  its  flag  the  names  of  Bull  Run  and  Williamsburg,  and 
that  the  name  of  Williamsburg  be  placed  upon  the  flag  of  the  Fortieth  New 
York."  He  still  further  remarks:  "I  trust  that  the  general  commanding 
the  division,  seeing  how  well  two  of  my  regiments  carry  out  his  orders,  will 
never  hesitate  to  rely  on  my  brigade." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  293 

At  Fair  Oaks,  May  31  and  June  I,  General  Birney  says:  "I  led  forward 
the  Fifty-seventh  Pennsylvania  and  Fortieth  New  York  and  succeeded  after 
a  sharp  contest  in  driving  back  the  enemy."  Colonel  Ward,  who  succeeded 
General  Birney  in  command  of  the  brigade,  says:  "As  the  enemy  advanced 
and  their  fire  increased,  I  gave  the  order  to  fire,  and  immediately  thereafter 
to  charge.  This  movement  was  most  brilliantly  performed,  and  the  terrified 
enemy  driven  before  them."  This  feat  was  accomplished  by  the  Third  Maine, 
Thirty-eighth,  and  Fortieth  New  York.  Colonel  Egan  says:  "  I  then  ordered 
my  men  to  charge  bayonet,,  and  in  an  instant  they  were  advancing  at  double- 
quick,  which  the  enemy  perceiving,  and  not  relishing  the  cold  steel,  turned 
and  fled.  Here  many  of  my  men  fell;  notwithstanding,  not  one  faltered,  but 
with  tremendous  cheers  continued  to  advance,  driving  the  enemy  from  the 
woods  and  scattering  them  in  all  directions,  although  resisting  desperately." 
Some  idea  of  the  terrible  fire  of  the  enemy  may  be  formed  from  the  fact  that 
out  of  213  men  engaged  we  lost  96.  Every  member  of  the  color  guard  was 
either  killed  or  wounded.  General  Birney  says:  "  I  take  pleasure  in  speaking 
of  the  high  state  of  discipline  evinced  by  the  Fourth  Maine  and  Fortieth  New 
York." 

It  would  simply  be  but  a  repetition  to  quote  from  the  various  reports  wherein 
the  Fortieth  is  honorably  mentioned.  Suffice  to  say  that  in  all  the  seven  days 
engagements  —  White  Oak  Swamp,  Charles  City  Cross  Roads  and  Malvern 
Hill  —  from  in  front  of  Richmond  to  the  James  River,  they,  in  common  with  the 
other  gallant  regiments  of  Kearny's  famous  division,  did  valiant  service  and 
received  high  encomiums  from  their  commander.  At  the  Second  Bull  Run, 
when  others  faltered,  they  heroically  pressed  to  the  front,  and  endeavored 
to  stem  the  tide  of  disaster  which  had  turned  against  us. 

The  gallant  Kearny  in  the  last  report  he  ever  wrote,  says:  "All  my  regi 
ments  did  nobly,  and  my  Fortieth  New  York  suffered  most."  Again,  at 
gloomy  Chantilly,  where  the  thunder  of  Heaven's  artillery  exceeded  that  of 
war,  and  the  lightning's  flash  was  far  more  vivid  than  that  of  our  rifles,  the 
Fortieth  stood  bravely  at  the  front;  and  their  colors,  flaunting  defiance  to 
the  foe,  were  the  last  emblem  of  his  country  that  the  vision  of  that  Bayard  of 
the  Northern  Army,  Maj.  Gen.  Philip  Kearny,  saw  as  he  passed  on  to  immor 
tality.  When  the  smoke  of  the  battle  had  risen  from  that  disastrous  field, 
the  regiment  in  common  with  the  rest  of  General  Kearny's  command  was 
reduced  to  a  skeleton,  and  the  gallant  division,  which  had  never  known  defeat 
in  five  months  of  fighting,  was  reduced  from  12,000  to  less  than  2,000  men. 
This  remnant,  together  with  the  Third  Corps,  was  left  in  the  defences  of  Wash 
ington  while  the  army  marched  away  to  Antietam. 

On  the  night  of  the  battle  of  Antietam  we  were  ordered  to  the  Monocacy 
to  prevent  the  enemy  from  crossing  the  Potomac.  From  here  we  waded  the 
river  and  made  a  raid  on  Leesburg,  where  we  captured  General  Longstreet's 
personal  baggage.  When  General  McClellan  was  superseded  by  Burnside,  the 
regiment  was  thrown  forward  in  an  endeavor  to  bring  on  an  engagement  at 
Culpeper.  From  there,  crossing  Waterloo  Bridge,  we  marched  on  to  Fred- 
ericksburg.  Here,  again,  we  were  called  upon  to  make  another  sacrifice;  for, 
as  you  are  aware,  although  we  were  said  to  be  in  the  reserve,  when  General 


294 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


Franklin  made  the  assault  on  the  left,  and  the  splendid  division  of  Pennsyl 
vania  Reserves  were  forced  back,  the  Fortieth  and  the  other  regiments  of 
Ward's  Brigade  were  thrown  forward  to  check  the  advancing,  exultant 
enemy,  in  which  effort  we  were  successful.  Here  some  of  the  bravest  of  our 
comrades  fell,  while  the  entire  loss  was  more  than  one-half  of  the  men  carried 
into  the  fight. 

Still,  again,  at  Chancellorsville,  when  disaster  had  befallen  the  Eleventh 
Corps,  and  Birney's  Division  was  cut  off  from  the  balance  of  the  army,  when 
General  Sickles  ordered  that  famous  midnight  charge  where  the  orders  were 
to  "  Remove  the  caps  from  the  guns,  fire  no  shot,  take  no  prisoners,  but  do 
all  the  work  with  the  bayonet,"  the  Mozart  Regiment  led  the  van.  For  this 
they  were  duly  commended  by  General  Sickles,  while  General  Birney  recom 
mended  the  promotion  of  our  commander,  the  gallant  Col.  Tom  W.  Egan. 

On  the  1 3th  of  June  we  broke  camp  in  front  of  Fredericksburg,  and  passing 
through  the  familiar  scenes  around  Manassas,  commenced  that  long  and  tedious 
march  which  ended  at  Gettysburg.  On  the  evening  of  July  ist  we  were  at 
Emmitsburg,  guarding  the  Seminary.  In  the  early  morning  of  the  2d  we 
passed  over  the  Emmitsburg  Pike  and  were  soon  in  bivouac  near  Gettysburg, 
in  the  grove  of  oaks  opposite  the  Wheatfield.  Here  we  remained  until  the 
order  came  that  called  us  into  action.  From  this  point  we  crossed  the  Wheat- 
field,  and,  passing  in  the  rear  of  the  artillery,  moved  by  the  flank  through 
Smith's  Battery  to  a  position  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Third  Corps. 

Hood's  Division,  which  by  a  movement  en  echelon  was  endeavoring  to  gain 
the  crest  of  the  hill,  we  held  there  in  check  for  upward  of  thirty  minutes, 
thereby  giving  Vincent's  Brigade  the  golden  opportunity  of  reaching  Little 
Round  Top,  which  General  Meade  says  was  "  the  key  to  his  position."  I 
maintain,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  but  for  our  presence  on  this  spot 
at  this  opportune  moment,  the  day  would  have  been  lost  to  the  Union  cause. 
I  say  this  without  boasting,  and  without  the  remotest  thought  of  attempting 
to  detract  from  the  merits  of  any  other  regiment  that  was  with  us  on  this 
blood-stained  field.  Nor  would  I  be  so  recreant  to  honor  and  justice  as  to 
withhold  due  credit  from  our  gallant  brethren,  the  remnants  of  the  Thirty- 
seventh,  Thirty-eighth,  Fifty-fifth,  Eighty-seventh  and  One  hundred  and  first 
New  York  Regiments  who  were  incorporated  with  us  under  the  same  banner, 
thus  forming  a  glorious  unit. 

I  will  quote  here  a  description  of  this  part  of  the  battle  from  the  pen  of 
Capt.  James  G.  Smith,  of  the  Fourth  New  York  Independent  Battery.  He 
said:  "  We  had  been  swept  from  the  crest  of  the  Devil's  Den,  leaving  three  of 
our  guns  behind,  and  had  opened  with  the  remaining  three  from  a  position  sev 
enty-five  yards  nearer  Little  Round  Top.  Our  fire  was  directed  at  the  enemy 
stationed  at  or  near  Plum  Run  Gorge.  We  were  trying  to  keep  up  the  char 
acter  of  a  fight,  hoping  for  help.  The  enemy  were  about  to  charge,  in  which 
event  our  weakness  would  be  discovered,  and  then  our  bold  front  would  avail 
us  nothing.  All  that  men  could  do,  the  artillerists  of  the  battery  were  doing. 
If  the  enemy  would  stand  off  and  fight  us,  the  battle  would  last  as  long  as  there 
was  a  man  left  to  load  a  gun ;  but  when  it  came  to  a  charge,  we  must  fall  back 
or  yield.  During  this  critical  moment  the  fate  of  Little  Round  Top  hung  in 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  295 

the  balance.  Five  minutes  more  and  the  battery  must  retire  or  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  The  Round  Tops  were  still  defenceless.  General  War 
ren,  who  had  gone  in  search  of  troops  for  the  purpose  of  defending  this  import 
ant  position,  had  not  yet  returned.  Time  was  precious.  The  Nation  was 
greatly  in  need  of  men  at  this  point  of  the  Federal  line.  Brave  men  had 
fought  over  this  ground  but  a  few  minutes,  and  left  many  of  their  comrades 
to  tell  the  tale  of  this  unequal  contest.  Still  the  harvest  was  incomplete;  more 
human  grain  must  be  garnered  before  the  demon  of  destruction  could  be 
appeased.  Help  was  coming.  The  Fortieth  New  York,  led  by  the  indomit 
able  Tom  W.  Egan,  had  heard  the  roar  of  cannon,  and,  without  waiting  orders, 
following  the  true  instinct  of  a  band  of  heroes,  moved  at  a  double-quick  and 
were  soon  charging  through  the  battery.  A  new  lease  of  life  was  given  us;  in 
fact,  this  timely  assistance  enabled  the  battery  to  renew  the  contest  and,  with  the 
aid  of  the  Fortieth,  secure  a  longer  delay  of  half  an  hour  from  the  troops  of 
General  Hood,  thereby  giving  the  needed  succor  to  the  gallant  men  under  the 
command  of  Vincent,  O'Rourke,  and  others  —  just  sufficient  time  to  enable 
them  to  scale  the  summit  of  Little  Round  Top,  together  with  Hazlett's  Bat 
tery,  and  after  a  short,  sharp  struggle  to  repulse  the  foe." 

The  importance  of  Colonel  Egan's  intelligent  and  soldierly  manner  of  mov 
ing  his  command  to  a  point  of  our  line  where  he  could  do  the  most  good  cannot 
be  estimated.  As  soon  as  he  arrived,  he  divined  the  enemy's  intentions  and 
made  such  disposition  of  his  troops  as  to  best  delay,  if  not  entirely  thwart,  his 
purpose.  If,  as  has  been  stated  by  General  Meade,  the  enemy  lost  Little  Round 
Top  by  less  than  five  minutes,  what  can  be  said  of  the  Fortieth  New  York's 
timely  arrival  and  the  importance  of  its  fight  at  the  Devil's  Den? 

Comrades,  we  stand  on  hallowed  ground,  made  sacred  by  the  blood  of  our 
brave  companions.  A  quarter  of  a  century  has  passed  away,  and  while  gazing 
into  the  faces  of  the  small  remnant  who  have  met  to  do  homage  at  this  shrine, 
the  vivid  scenes  of  the  past  pass  before  me  like  some  vast  panorama.  In  my 
mind's  eye  I  seem  to  see  the  sabre  of  glorious  Tom  Egan  flashing  before  me, 
and  ever  pointing  to  the  foe.  Again  do  I  feel  the  touch  of  a  comrade's  elbow 
when  coming  into  line,  and  again  hear  that  soul-stirring  cheer  as  we  advance. 
Again  do  I  hear  the  resounding  din  of  musketry  and  cannon.  Again  can  I  see 
the  ardor  and  enthusiasm  with  which  the  regiment  met  the  foe.  Again,  alas! 
I  see  a  thin  line  of  blue,  some  silent  in  death,  while  others  lie  wounded  and 
dying,  and  on  the  cap  of  each  comrade  the  proud  emblem  of  Kearny's  Division 
and  the  number  Forty. 

Of  those  who  here  offered  up  their  lives  in  their  country's  cause,  some  rest 
in  yonder  Cemetery;  others,  cared  for  by  loving  hands  sleep  peacefully  among 
their  kindred  in  the  village  churchyard  or  in  the  more  pretentious  cemetery  of 
some  city.  The  missing  never  returned,  and  must  be  numbered  with  the  dead. 
Doubtless  they  fell  unobserved,  and  possibly,  like  some  poor  wounded  animal, 
crawled  to  some  cover  where,  alone  with  their  God,  they  passed  over  to  the 
other  and  brighter  shore,  leaving  nothing  by  which  they  could  be  identified, 
and  now  are  resting  on  yonder  hill  in  nameless  graves, —  graves  bearing  upon 
their  headstones  that,  to  a  soldier,  the  saddest  of  all  epitaphs,  the  one  word 
"  Unknown." 


296  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Comrades,  I  have  done.  My  story  ends  with  Gettysburg.  Volumes  could 
be  written  eulogistic  of  the  Mozart  Regiment  from  the  date  of  its  entrance  into 
the  field  until  the  fratricidal  war  was  over,  of  which  service  I  have  given  you 
but  a  brief  abstract.  The  regiment  was  in  every  engagement  that  was  fought 
by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  with  the  exception  of  the  battle  of  Antietam. 
The  soil  from  Yorktown  to  Appomattox  has  been  moistened  by  the  blood  of 
its  members.  Mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  June  27,  1861, 
they  were  mustered  out  on  the  same  date  in  1865,  a  period  of  exactly  four  years. 
In  this  time  the  loss  of  officers  and  men  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  missing 
was  1,244  as  certified  to  by  the  Adjutant  General  of  the  army.  But  one  regi 
ment  from  the  Empire  State  suffered  more  in  battle,  and  but  ten  regiments  in 
the  whole  Northern  Army  exceeded  it  in  point  of  loss.  Our  record  stands 
imperishable  in  the  Temple  of  Fame,  with  naught  to  mar  or  shadow  it.  And 
why  should  it  not, —  with  such  commanders  as  Riley,  who  moulded  the  crude 
material  into  efficient  soldiers,  infusing  true  courage  into  them  by  his 
magnetism  and  stern  discipline  until  they  were  ripe  to  follow  the  leadership  of 
Egan,  whose  dash  and  eclat  ever  carried  him  to  victory  against  all  odds;  and, 
when  he  had  advanced  to  a  higher  command,  the  gallant  Cannon  who  com 
bined  the  soldierly  qualities  of  both?  What  would  such  a  regiment  have  done 
without  such  leaders;  and  what  could  those  leaders  have  done  without  such 
men  ? 

Their  brilliant  achievements  have  passed  into  History.  Our  descendants, 
through  generations  yet  unborn,  may  proudly  exclaim,  "  My  ancestors  were 
members  of  the  band  representing  three  of  the  original  States,  New  York, 
Massachusetts,  and  Pennsylvania,  who  at  their  country's  urgent  call  when  in 
her  dire  distress,  sprang  to  arms,  patriotically  rallying  together  in  a  generous 
spirit  of  emulation  under  the  flag  of  the  Mozart  Regiment,  and  fought  to  the 
bitter  end  for  the  salvation  of  our  glorious  constellation,  leaving  us  that  noble 
heritage,  our  ever-cherished  Union,  with 

"  Freedom's  soil  beneath  our  feet 
And  Freedom's  banner  waving  o'er  us!" 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 
By  LIEUT.  JOSEPH  MURPHY. 

The  organization  of  the  Fortieth  New  York  Volunteers  dates  from  April, 
1861,  when  parts  of  two  companies,  then  known  as  the  "Advance  Guards,"  and 
one  company  known  as  the  "  Highland  Guards,"  Captain  Mason,  were  quar 
tered  at  Elm  Park,  on  the  Bloomingdale  Road,  in  the  upper  part  of  New  York 
City. 

After  a  short  stay  here,  they  moved  into  barracks  established  in  the  Althouse 
Iron  Works,  corner  of  Houston  and  Green  Streets,  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
city,  and  formed  what  was  then  known  as  the  "  Constitution  Guards,"  under 
the  command  of  Col.  John  S.  Cocks,  of  the  Twelfth  Militia. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  297 

About  this  time,  at  the  solicitation  of  the  "  Mozart  Hall  Committee,"  of  New 
York  City,  it  took  the  name  "  Mozart  Regiment,"  and  although  it  afterwards 
received  a  numerical  designation  from  the  State,  it  was  known  to  the  end  of 
the  war  as  the  "  Mozart  Regiment, '  or  Fortieth  New  York  Volunteers. 

From  this  time,  until  mustered  into  the  United  States  service,  the  Union 
Defence  Committee  provided  for  the  care  and  maintenance  of  the  regiment. 
This  committee  gave  them  a  munificent  outfit,  consisting  of  uniforms,  arms 
(smooth-bore,  caliber  69),  200  common  and  40  officers'  tents,  camp  equipage, 
2  brass  1 2-pound  howitzers,  10  wagons,  and  4  ambulances,  with  teams,  and  a 
large  quantity  of  ammunition,  disbursing  in  round  figures,  the  sum  of  $87,550. 

About  June  ist  the  regiment  moved  to  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  on  the  Hudson  River, 
where  it  went  into  barracks  in  a  large  brick  flour  mill  and  machine  shop,  on 
the  canal.  Here  Colonel  Cocks,  who  had  commanded  the  regiment  up  to  this 
time,  was  deposed,  and  Col.  Edward  J.  Riley  was  put  in  command. 

No  more  recruits  being  received  from  the  State,  except  through  the  State 
authorities,  the  organization  was  completed  by  taking  four  companies  from 
Massachusetts, —  B,  G,  H,  and  K,  and  two  companies  from  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  F  and  A. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  by  companies,  for 
three  years,  at  Yonkers,  between  June  I4th  and  July  1st. 

A  committee  consisting  of  Fernando  Wood,  Mayor  of  New  York  City,  and 
Messrs.  Prosper  M.  Wetmore,  A.  T.  Stewart,  Moses  H.  Grinnell,  and  Judge 
Pierrepont,  representing  the  "  Union  Defence  Committee,"  presented  the  regi 
ment  with  a  stand  of  colors.  The  men  at  this  time  were  encamped  in  a  large 
field  on  Vineyard  Avenue  and  High  Street,  the  camp  being  known  as  "  Camp 
Wood." 

On  July  4,  1861,  the  regiment,  1,030  strong,  embarked  on  steamers  for 
Elizabethport,  N.  J.,  proceeding  thence  by  rail  to  Washington,  D.  C. 
Arriving  at  Washington,  the  Fortieth  encamped  at  the  head  of  Seventh  Street, 
and  on  July  17,  1861,  crossed  the  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia.  It  was  stationed 
at  Alexandria  to  garrison  that  town,  and  to  guard  the  Orange  &  Alexandria 
Railroad.  During  the  battle  of  First  Bull  Run  four  companies  held  the  road 
until  the  last  of  the  great  rout  had  passed,  and,  when  peremptorily  ordered  to 
retire,  brought  off  from  Burke's  Station  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition  and 
stores. 

For  several  months  afterwards  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  building  Fort 
Ward,  on  the  Leesburg  Turnpike,  assisting  to  build  Fort  Lyon,  on  the  old 
Fairfax  Road,  in  road  making,  and  in  picketing  at  Bailey's  Cross  Roads,  on  the 
Occoquan  and  Accotink  Creeks.  In  September,  the  regiment  moved  out  on 
the  old  Fairfax  Road,  and  encamped  opposite  the  old  "  Octagon  House,"  the 
headquarters  of  Gen.  John  Sedgwick,  who  commanded  the  brigade.  This  was 
known  as  Camp  Sedgwick.  Here  they  were  brigaded  with  the  Thirty-eighth 
New  York,  Col.  J.  Hobart  Ward,  the  Third  Maine,  Col.  O.  O.  Howard,  and 
the  Fourth  Maine,  Col.  Hiram  Berry,  all  crack  regiments  with  commanding 
officers  who  were  destined  to  achieve  distinction  and  promotion  in  the  cam 
paigns  yet  to  come. 

The  Fortieth  was  now  in  the  First  Division  of  the  Third  Army  Corps,  com 
manded  by  Gen.  S.  P.  Keintzelman.  In  November  the  regiment,  with  the 


298  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

brigade,  moved  out  about  two  miles  nearer  the  enemy,  then  at  Munson's  Hill, 
on  the  Leesburg  Turnpike,  where  it  remained  until  March,  1862,  doing  fatigue 
and  picket  duty,  drilling,  etc. 

This  camp  was  known  as  Camp  Sackett,  and  while  here  a  theatre  was  built, 
known  as  "  Sedgwick's  Brigade  Lyceum,"  capable  of  seating  about  1,500 
people,  the  actors  and  actresses  coming  from  Washington  to  give  performances. 

On  March  17,  1862,  the  regiment,  with  the  Third  Corps,  sailed  from  Alex 
andria  for  the  Peninsula.  At  Hampton,  the  corps  awaited  the  arrival  of  the 
whole  army,  and  then  moved  in  the  advance  towards  Richmond,  arriving  before 
Yorktown,  April  4,  1862.  It  was  assigned  to  the  right  centre  of  the  besieging 
forces,  where  it  was  actively  engaged  in  digging  trenches,  building  mortar 
redans  and  batteries  until  May  4th. 

On  May  4th,  with  part  of  the  Thirty-eighth  New  York,  all  under  command 
of  Col.  Edward  J.  Riley,  the  Fortieth  was  picketing  the  front.  Having  dis 
covered  before  daybreak  that  the  enemy  was  evacuating  his  works,  the  regi 
ment  with  others  was  ordered  to  charge  and  seize  the  forts,  and  its  men  were 
the  first  to  enter.  In  this  advance  Company  A  lost  7  men  killed  and 
wounded  by  the  explosion  of  torpedoes, —  the  first  men  killed  in  the  regiment 
losing  their  lives  here. 

After  a  wearisome  march  through  deep  mud  and  drenching  rains,  the 
"  Mozarts  "  arrived  before  Williamsburg,  May  5,  1862,  and  here  occurred  their 
first  experience  on  the  field  of  battle.  In  this  engagement  the  regiment  lost 
29  in  killed  and  wounded,  their  steady  bearing  under  fire  and  efficient  services 
eliciting  the  highest  praise  from  the  brigade  and  division  commanders. 

At  Seven  Pines  and  Fair  Oaks,  May  31  and  June  i,  1862,  they  again 
distinguished  themselves  and  proved  their  valor  beyond  question.  The 
Fortieth,  for  its  conspicuous  and  distinguished  courage  was,  in  general  orders, 
complimented  in  the  highest  terms  by  General  Birney,  commanding  brigade, 
General  Kearny,  commanding  division,  and  General  Heintzelman,  command 
ing  corps.  Seme  idea  of  the  terrible  fire  of  the  enemy  during  the  battle  of 
Fair  Oaks,  June  ist,  may  be  formed  from  the  fact  that  out  of  four  companies 
(231  men)  engaged  with  the  Fifth  and  Eighth  Alabama  regiments,  96  men  fell, 
every  member  of  the  color  guard  being  either  killed  or  wounded. 

Col.  Edward  J.  Riley,  who,  on  the  day  previous,  was  seriously  injured  by  a 
kick  on  the  head  from  a  vicious  horse,  was  thrown  from  his  horse  early  in  the 
engagement,  and  injured  so  as  to  be  compelled  to  leave  the  field.  On  the  4th 
of  June,  1862,  he  resigned,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Egan  succeeded  to  the 
command. 

The  many  skirmishes  and  numerous  reconnoissances  prior  to  the  Seven 
Days  Battle  attest  the  devotion  and  gallantry  of  the  Mozart  Regiment.  At 
the  battles  of  The  Orchards,  Savage  Station,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Glendale, 
Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  Malvern  Hill,  and  Harrison's  Landing,  Colonel 
Egan  and  the  "  Mozarts  "  added  new  glory  to  their  banners,  already  resplendent 
with  the  deeds  of  patriotism  and  devotion,  and  the  Fortieth  New  York  became 
a  synonym  of  perfection  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

After  a  stay  of  six  weeks  at  Harrison's  Landing  we  broke  camp  and  marched 
down  the  Peninsula  to  Yorktown.  We  proceeded  thence  by  boat  to  Alexan- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  299 

dria,  and  thence  by  rail  to  Warrenton,  where  we  arrived  August  23,  1862. 
Here  we  had  an  all  night's  scout,  marching  near  Greenwich,  and  thence  around 
to  Manassas  Junction  and  Bristoe  Station,  where  the  cars  and  stores  destroyed 
by  Stonewall  Jackson  were  still  smoking.  More  marching  and  counter 
marching,  interspersed  with  numerous  skirmishes,  and  then  we  met  the  enemy 
in  pitched  battle  at  Manassas  Plains  on  the  27th  of  August,  1862.  During  a 
period  of  three  days  and  nights  the  Fortieth  was  almost  continuously  under 
arms,  or  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Falling  back  to  Centreville  on  the  ist  of 
September,  the  Mozarts  participated  at  Chantilly  in  the  last  battle  of  General 
Pope's  campaign.  In  this  series  of  actions,  known  as  Second  Bull  Run,  the 
Fortieth  lost  147  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  The  regiment  now  sadly 
reduced  in  numbers  was  ordered  to  Alexandria,  where,  encamping  near  Fort 
Lyon,  two  weeks  were  devoted  to  the  double  purpose  of  re-equipment  and  rest. 
While  here  the  regiment,  owing  to  its  heavy  losses  and  depleted  ranks,  was 
consolidated,  on  September  6,  1862,  with  the  Eighty-seventh  New  York,  and 
the  officers  of  that  regiment  were  mustered  out  as  supernumeraries;  but  the 
men  served  until  the  expiration  of  their  terms  of  enlistment,  in  the  Fortieth. 

On  the  1 5th  of  September,  1862,  we  were  once  more  en  route  for  a  campaign, 
and  a  lively  march  of  two  days  found  the  regiment  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Monocacy  River,  near  Poolesville,  Md.,  where  Colonel  Egan  was  placed  in 
command  of  some  troops  assigned  to  him  for  the  defence  of  the  Monocacy 
Bridge.  While  occupying  this  post  the  Fortieth  made  frequent  raids  into  Vir 
ginia,  crossing  the  Potomac  by  wading  at  different  fords  in  that  vicinity.  In 
the  meantime  the  main  army  was  engaged  on  the  Antietam  campaign. 

When  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved  into  Virginia  after  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  rejoin  the  division,  and  was  thrown 
forward  in  the  endeavor  to  bring  on  an  engagement  at  Culpeper.  From  there, 
crossing  the  Rappahannock  at  Waterloo  Bridge,  we  marched  on  to  Falmouth, 
and  there  went  into  winter  quarters  November  20,  1862. 

On  December  I3th  the  regiment  was  called  upon  to  make  another  sacrifice. 
It  was  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg.  We  were  in  the  reserve;  but  when 
General  Franklin  made  the  assault  on  the  left,  and  Meade's  splendid  division  of 
Pennsylvania  Reserves  was  forced  back,  the  Fortieth  New  York  and  the  other 
regiments  comprising  Ward's  Brigade,  were  thrown  forward  to  check  the 
advancing,  exultant  enemy.  We  were  successful,  but  many  of  our  bravest 
comrades  fell,  while  the  entire  loss  was  more  than  one-half  of  the  men  carried 
into  the  fight.  The  casualties  were,  19  killed,  74  wounded,  and  30  captured  01 
missing;  total,  123. 

On  March  26,  1863,  we  participated  in  a  grand  review  of  the  Third  Corps  by 
Major  General  Sickles,  corps  commander,  and  Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsyl 
vania.  On  April  8th  there  was  a  grand  review  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
on  the  Plains  of  Falmouth  by  President  Lincoln  and  Maj.  Gen.  Joseph 
Hooker,  commander  of  the  Army. 

On  April  28,  1863,  we  received  marching  orders,  and  the  men,  heavily  loaded 
with  eight  days'  rations,  besides  their  ammunition  and  equipments,  started  for 
Chancellorsville,  arriving  after  a  fatiguing  march  at  the  United  States  Ford,  on 
the  Rappahannock  River,  on  April  3Oth.  On  the  morning  of  May  ist  we 


300 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


crossed  the  river  on  pontoons.  Here  the  rebels  had  some  earthworks  thrown 
up,  which  they  abandoned  on  the  advance  of  our  troops.  After  marching  about 
four  miles  we  were  halted  in  some  woods  where  we  remained  nearly  all  day. 
Towards  night  the  firing  became  very  brisk,  and  we  were  ordered  to  the  front. 
Soon  everything  became  quiet,  and  we  slept  in  the  woods  along  the  Plank  Road 
without  being  disturbed  during  the  night. 

During  the  2d  of  May  everything  remained  quiet  until  afternoon,  when  some 
wagons  were  seen  moving  to  our  right  and  front.  Our  division  —  Birney's  — 
was  ordered  to  advance.  We  soon  made  our  way  through  the  woods,  the 
enemy  leaving  as  quickly  as  possible.  Here  the  Twenty-third  Georgia  Regi 
ment  was  captured  by  the  Berdan  Sharpshooters,  assisted  by  our  brigade,  the 
wagon  train  belonging  to  Jackson's  Corps  being  captured  also.  While  this 
was  going  on  in  our  front,  Jackson's  Corps  attacked  and  flanked  the  Eleventh 
Corps,  causing  them  to  fall  back.  Much  to  our  surprise  we  were  ordered  back 
in  double-quick  time,  arriving  on  the  field  where  we  were  in  the  morning,  at  a 
place  known  as  Hazel  Grove,  but  better  known  to  the  boys  as  the  "  Dark 
Alley."  At  about  n  o'clock  p.  M.,  Capt.  George  W.  Cooney  of  the  Second 
Brigade  Staff,  came  with  orders  from  General  Sickles  to,  "  Form  column,  fix 
bayonets  and  charge;  to  take  no  prisoners,  but  do  all  the  work  with  the 
bayonet."  He  informed  us  that  we  were  surrounded  and  must  cut  our  way 
through.  The  Mozart  Regiment  led  the  charge,  which  was  successful.  It  was 
now  after  dark,  and  during  the  desperate  fighting  attending  this  movement 
Gen.  "  Stonewall  "  Jackson,  the  great  Confederate  leader,  was  killed. 

On  Sunday  morning,  the  3d,  the  enemy  attacked  in  strong  force,  and  from 
daylight  until  1 1  o'clock  the  battle  raged  with  great  fury.  I  never  heard  such  a 
continuous  firing.  To  my  mind  the  battles  of  the  Peninsula  were  as  nothing 
in  comparison  to  it.  Our  army  was  never  in  better  spirits,  and  I  never  sa\v 
them  fight  better.  Our  troops  fell  back  slowly  about  a  mile  beyond  the 
Chancellor  House.  The  enemy  did  not  dare  to  follow,  but  threw  a  few  shells 
at  us  during  the  afternoon. 

During  the  4th,  we  threw  up  some  rifle  pits  to  protect  us  from  the  rebel 
shells.  Skirmishing  was  kept  up  all  day,  and  towards  night  the  enemy  brought 
out  some  artillery  and  commenced  shelling  us,  but  doing  very  little  damage. 
On  the  morning  of  May  6th  we  recrossed  the  river,  and  marching  back  to  our 
old  camp  reached  there  towards  dark,  wet,  covered  with  mud,  and  completely 
used  up. 

May  29,  1863,  the  three  years'  men  of  the  Thirty-seventh  and  Thirty-eighth 
New  York  Volunteers,  and  the  members  of  the  One  hundred  and  first,  and 
Fifty-fifth  New  York,  who  had  already  been  consolidated  with  these  regiments, 
were  transferred  to  the  Fortieth  New  York.  From  this  time  they  were  known 
and  recognized  as  a  part  of  the  "  Mozarts,"  making  up  to  this  time  the  remnants 
of  five  glorious  fighting  regiments  which,  like  the  Fortieth,  had  been  reduced 
by  severe  and  terrible  losses  sustained  in  battle,  to  less  than  the  minimum 
number  required  by  army  regulations. 

The  regiment  broke  camp  on  June  II,  1863,  in  the  afternoon  and  started  on  the 
Gettysburg  campaign,  passing  on  the  march,  Warrenton,  Bealton  Station,  and 
Catlett's  Station,  reaching  Manassas  on  the  I5th  after  a  very  fatiguing  march. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  301 

Here  we  lay  in  the  rifle  pits  along  Bull  Run  doing  picket  duty  until  the  i/th, 
when  we  marched  to  Centreville,  passing  over  part  of  the  old  battlefield  of  Bull 
Run,  where  we  stayed  until  the  iQth,  when  we  again  took  up  the  line  of  march. 
Arriving  at  Gum  Springs,  we  encamped  there  until  the  25th,  when  we  again 
broke  camp,  and  after  a  severe  and  fatiguing  march  of  more  than  thirty  miles 
that  day,  crossed  the  Potomac  River  at  Edwards  Ferry  on  pontoons.  We 
then  marched  up  the  towpath  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Canal  to  the  Aqueduct 
Bridge,  over  the  Monocacy  River,  and  halted  for  the  night.  The  greater  part 
of  this  march  was  made  in  a  severe  and  drenching  rain,  marching  in  wet 
clothes,  which  made  it  more  trying.  Resuming  our  march  on  the  26th,  we 
passed  through  Jefferson,  Middletown,  Frederick  City,  Boonsboro,  over  South 
Mountain,  through  Crampton's  Pass,  and  Taneytown,  arriving  at  Emmitsburg, 
Md.,  late  in  the  afternoon  of  June  3oth. 

In  the  early  morning  of  July  2d,  we  pressed  forward  over  the  Emmitsburg 
Pike,  and  were  soon  in  bivouac  at  Gettysburg,  in  the  grove  of  oaks  opposite 
the  famous  Wheatfield,  where  we  were  shelled  by  the  enemy  at  a  lively  rate. 
Crossing  the  Wheatfield  and  passing  in  the  rear  of  the  batteries,  we  moved  by 
the  flank  through  Smith's  Battery,  into  a  position  on  the  extreme  left  of  tKe 
Third  Corps  to  the  support  of  Ward's  Brigade,  at  what  is  known  as  the 
"  Devil's  Den,"  where  we  held  the  extreme  left  of  the  corps.  Here  we  push  in, 
the  fighting  being  very  hot,  with  the  rebels  not  more  than  twenty  paces  off  and 
outnumbering  us  three  to  one.  But  we  held  Hood's  veterans  in  check  long 
enough  to  enable  Vincent's  Brigade  to  occupy  and  save  the  all-important 
position  on  Little  Round  Top. 

General  Birney,  in  his  official  report,  says:  "The  Fortieth  New  York, 
Col.  Tom.  W.  Egan,  was  sent  by  me  to  strengthen  Ward's  line,  and  led  by  its 
gallant  colonel  they  charged  the  enemy  and  drove  him  back  from  his  advanced 
position." 

General  Ward  says,  in  his  report:  "The  valuable  services  rendered  by 
Col.  Tom.  W.  Egan  and  his  noble  regiment,  the  Fortieth  New  York  (Mozart 
Regiment),  at  an  opportune  moment  cannot  be  overestimated.  Their  steadi 
ness  and  valor  were  not  unknown  to  me,  I  having  commanded  them  on  former 
occasions.  They  came  to  me  at  the  right  time,  and  well  did  they  perform  their 
duty." 

On  the  night  of  the  2d,  the  regiment  was  moved  to  a  position  a  little  to  the 
left  of  the  clump  of  trees,  near  which  General  Hancock  was  wounded,  which 
position  we  occupied  that  night  and  the  next  day  during  the  time  of  Pickett's 
charge.  Although  not  actively  engaged,  we  were  under  a  murderous  fire  from 
the  enemy's  batteries  during  all  the  terrible  cannonade  which  preceded  the 
grand  infantry  charge  of  Pickett's  and  Pettigrew's  Divisions.  The  loss  in  the 
Fortieth,  at  Gettysburg,  was:  23  killed,  120  wounded  (including  the  mortally 
wounded),  and  7  missing;  total,  150. 

The  next  day  —  the  4th  —  we  were  employed  in  burying  the  dead  and  caring 
for  the  wounded,  and  on  the  5th  again  started  for  Virginia,  with  the  rest  of 
the  army,  in  pursuit  of  General  Lee.  From  this  time  on  the  regiment  con 
tinued  in  service  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  until  December  29,  1863,  when 
the  regiment  re-enlisted  as  veterans  almost  to  a  man. 


302  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Upon  the  consolidation  of  the  Third  Corps  with  the  Second,  the  Fortieth 
New  York  became  a  part  of  Ward's  (First)  Brigade,  Birney's  (Third)  Division, 
of  the  Second  Corps,  in  which  command  it  served  during  the  rest  of  the  war. 
During  the  Wilderness  Campaign,  May  5-31,  1864,  the  gallant  old  regiment 
sustained  its  reputation  for  hard  fighting,  losing  in  this  series  of  battles  358  in 
killed  and  wounded  in  less  than  a  month.  It  participated  in  the  assault  on 
Petersburg  and  in  the  long  siege  that  followed,  during  which  the  men  were 
constantly  under  fire  in  the  trenches.  It  fought  with  honorable  distinction  in 
the  battles  of  the  Weldon  Railroad,  Deep  Bottom,  Strawberry  Plains,  Boydton 
Road,  Hatcher's  Run,  and  Farmville,  ending  its  services  on  the  memorable 
field  of  Appomattox. 

Colonel  Egan's  gallant  record  was  recognized  by  a  promotion  as  brigadier 
general,  and,  subsequently,  by  a  commission  as  brevet  major  general.  Upon 
his  promotion  Lieut.  Col.  Madison  M.  Cannon  succeeded  to  the  command  of 
the  regiment,  and  Maj.  Augustus  J.  Warner  was  commissioned  lieutenant 
colonel. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  out  on  Hart's  Island,  in  New  York  Harbor, 
July  7,  1865,  having  been  in  service  over  four  years  with  a  record  for  gallantry 
and  hard  fighting  that  was  second  to  none. 


"«.  BRIG.  1st  DlV-llm  CORPS 

REGHKMT) 
2. 3. 4. 1863 


J.  K.  I.YON   PRIXT. 


41ST    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
On  northeasterly  slope  of  Cemetery  Hill. 


F.  J.  SEVERENCK,    1'IIOTO. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  303 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.') 

,  41ST  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 

IST  BRIG.  IST  DIV.  UTII  CORPS. 

(DE  KALB  REGIMENT) 

JULY  2,  3,  4,  1863. 

(Reverse.) 

CASUALTIES 

KILLED  15,  WOUNDED  58, 

MISSING  2; 
TOTAL  Loss,  75. 


304  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT 

41ST  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

"  DE  KALE  REGIMENT." 

July  3,  1893. 

HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 

At  the  first  outbreak  of  the  Great  Rebellion  the  German  citizens  through 
out  the  Northern  States  rallied  promptly  and  unanimously  to  the  support  of  the 
Union,  their  loyal  action  in  the  hour  of  need  doing  much  to  dispel  the  cloud  of 
doubt  and  uncertainty  that  hung  over  the  land.  The  first  three  regiments 
raised  in  St.  Louis  were  composed  of  Germans.  In  New  York  City  thousands 
of  Germans  tendered  their  services  at  the  firing  of  the  first  rebel  gun  on  Fort 
Sumter.  During  the  war  fully  175,000  men  of  German  birth  or  descent 
enlisted  in  the  Union  Army. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  war  it  was  natural  and  proper  that  this  foreign 
element  should  organize  into  regiments  by  itself,  and  select  leaders  from  their 
own  class,  choosing  men  whose  military  ability  and  gallantry  had  made  them 
distinguished  in  foreign  wars.  Among  these  patriots  who  came  to  the  front  at 
the  first  call  to  arms,  and  around  whom  his  countrymen  rallied,  was  Leopold 
von  Gilsa.  He  had  served  in  the  Schleswig-Holstein  war,  with  the  rank  of 
major,  but  at  the  close  of  that  war  came  to  the  United  States  and  became  a 
citizen.  He  was  engaged  in  teaching  when  the  Rebellion  broke  out,  but 
bidding  his  pupils  adieu  he  tendered  his  services  to  his  adopted  country.  He 
was  given  the  colonelcy  of  the  Forty-first  New  York  Infantry,  a  regiment 
which  he  was  largely  instrumental  in  organizing,  and  which  contained  a  great 
number  of  German  soldiers  who  had  served  with  him  in  Holstein. 

This  regiment  was  recruited  at  Conrad's  and  Lanclmann's  Parks,  in  New 
York  City,  under  special  authority  of  the  United  States  War  Department. 
The  recruiting  was  carried  on  under  the  auspices  of  the  Union  Defence  Com 
mittee,  R.  A.  Witthaus,  Esq.,  a  patriotic  citizen,  assisting  materially  in  the  work. 
The  regiment  was  composed  almost  exclusively  of  Germans,  of  whom  about 
700  had  fought  in  the  Prussian  Army  against  the  Danes,  in  the  war  of  1848-1851. 
Twenty-three  of  its  thirty-three  officers  were  veterans  who  had  seen  service  in 
European  campaigns.  The  choice  for  lieutenant  colonel  fell  on  Emil 
Duysing,  a  lieutenant  of  the  regular  army  of  Hesse-Cassel,  and  fresh  from  the 
Danish  war. 

Eight  companies  were  raised  in  New  York;  Company  G  was  recruited  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  Company  H  in  Newark,  N..J.  Company  F  was 
permanently  detached,  November  20,  1861,  and  reorganized  as  the  Ninth  New 
York  Independent  Battery.  Company  A,  known  as  the  "  De  Kalb  Zouaves/' 
was  organized  before  the  war,  and  the  newly  formed  regiment  adopted  the 
name.  A  fine  band  of  twenty-five  pieces,  with  a  drum  corps  of  twenty,  were 
attached  to  the  command. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


305 


On  June  iQth  a  set  of  colors,  including  the  National  flag,  the  State  flag,  and 
a  pair  of  guidons,  were  presented  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  A.  Witthaus  and  Miss 
Pauline  A.  Witthaus,  of  New  York.  The  regiment  was  drawn  up  in  a  hollow 
square  and  Colonel  Von  Gilsa,  on  receiving  the  colors,  replied  in  behalf  of  his 
men  with  a  feeling  and  patriotic  speech.  The  ceremony  was  participated  in 
by  the  donors  of  the  flags,  Hon.  George  Folsom,  Hon.  George  Bancroft, 
PYederick  Kapp,  Esq.,  and  the  Liederkranz  Society,  in  the  presence  of  mem 
bers  of  the  Union  Defence  Committee,  other  distinguished  guests,  and  a  vast 
crowd  of  enthusiastic  friends  and  spectators. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service,  June  9,  1861,  and 
a  month  later  left  New  York,  1,041  strong,  for  Washington.  It  arrived  there 
July  loth,  and  on  the  i6th  crossed  the  Potomac  into  Virginia,  encamping  at 
Fort  Runyon.  It  was  assigned  to  General  Runyon's  Division,  with  which 
command  it  was  present  at  the  Battle  of  First  Bull  Run,  though  not  actively 
engaged.  The  division  rendered  important  service,  however,  in  covering  the 
retreat  of  the  army  from  that  disastrous  field. 

After  serving  in  various  brigades  the  Forty-first  was  assigned  in  October, 
1861,  to  Stahel's  Brigade,  of  Blenker's  Division.  This  division  was  detached 
from  General  McClellan's  army  in  April,  1862,  and  ordered  to  the  Shenandoah 
Valley,  where  it  was  to  join  General  Fremont's  command;  but  it  did  not  arrive 
there  until  May  9th.  The  condition  of  the  men  when  they  arrived,  according 
to  General  Fremont,  "  was  not  such  as  could  have  been  desired.  They  were 
worn  and  exhausted  by  hardships  scarcely  credible,  and  in  spite  of  efforts  to 
supply  their  wants,  a  large  proportion  were  without  articles  of  first  necessity  for 
service  in  the  field.  Of  shoes,  blankets,  and  overcoats  there  was  especially 
great  need."  In  fact,  the  German  regiments  which  composed  Blenker's 
Division,  had  been  shamefully  neglected  by  the  War  Department.  These  loyal 
troops  had  no  friends  at  court;  but,  though  overlooked  and  neglected,  they 
endured  all  without  a  murmur,  and  throughout  the  battle  summer  of  1862 
fought  as  readily  and  bravely  as  if  every  requisition  had  received  attention. 

At  the  Battle  of  Cross  Keys,  Va.,  June  8,  1862,  Stahel's  Brigade  was  hotly 
engaged,  the  Forty-first  New  York  acquitting  itself  with  honor  in  this  its  first 
battle  under  fire.  In  June,  1862,  the  troops  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley  and 
West  Virginia  were  reorganized  into  three  corps,  and  designated  as  the  Army 
of  Virginia,  those  formerly  under  the  command  of  Fremont  forming  the  First 
Corps  of  that  army.  This  corps  was  placed  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Franz 
Sigel,  and  the  army  under  Major  General  Pope.  Under  this  new  arrangement 
Stahel's  Brigade  found  itself  in  Schenck's  (First)  Division,  First  Corps,  A.  V. 

Under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Holmstedt  the  Forty-first  fought  at 
the  Battle  of  Manassas,  August  29  and  30,  1862,  where  the  regiment  lost 
103  in  killed  and  wounded.  Among  the  killed  was  Lieut.  Richard  Kurz,  who 
fell  in  the  action  on  August  3Oth. 

After  this  battle  Sigel's  Corps  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  defences  of  Wash 
ington,  with  headquarters  at  Stafford  Court  House,  Va.,  where  it  remained  until 
the  Chancellorsville  campaign,  in  May,  1863.  In  the  meanwhile  the  corps 
designation  was  changed  to  that  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  General  Sigel  was  succeeded  in  command  by  Gen.  O.  O.  Howard. 

20 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

On  April  28,  1863,  the  Forty-first  broke  camp  at  Stafford  Court  House,  and 
marched  away  to  Chancellorsville.  The  regiment  numbering  371  present  for 
duty  was  under  the  command  of  Maj.  Detleo  Von  Einsiedel,  Colonel  Von  Gilsa 
being  in  command  of  the  brigade. 

The  Eleventh  Corps  held  the  right  of  the  Union  line  at  Chancellorsville, 
being  in  position  in  the  woods  along  the  turnpike.  Von  Gilsa's  Brigade  held 
the  extreme  right  of  the  corps,  and  the  Forty-first  New  York  the  right  of  the 
brigade.  On  the  afternoon  of  May  2d,  Von  Gilsa  advanced  his  pickets,  who 
sent  in  word  that  large  masses  of  the  enemy  were  forming  on  the  right  flank  of 
the  Union  Army  and  were  preparing  to  attack.  Von  Gilsa  transmitted  this 
information  promptly  to  his  superiors  in  command,  but  unfortunately  no  atten 
tion  was  paid  to  it.  No  reinforcements  were  sent  to  the  threatened  point,  and 
of  the  troops  on  that  part  of  the  field  no  disposition  was  made  to  meet  the 
impending  attack.  The  Eleventh  Corps  remained  in  the  position  which  it  had 
taken,  faced  to  the  south,  while  Stonewall  Jackson's  troops  were  marching 
to  attack  its  flank  from  the  west. 

When  the  attack  came,  Von  Gilsa  and  his  regiments  were  not  surprised. 
They  knew  it  was  coming  and  were  calmly  awaiting  it,  although  they  were 
aware  that  through  the  neglect  or  incompetency  of  some  one  they  were  in  a 
false  position.  Lieutenants  Searles  and  Boecke  of  the  Forty-first  were 
stationed  on  either  side  of  the  pike  with  a  detachment  of  sharpshooters,  at  some 
distance  beyond  the  termination  of  the  Union  line.  As  Jackson's  skirmishers 
advanced  they  struck  these  sharpshooters  who,  falling  back  slowly  as  they 
exchanged  shots,  gave  the  alarm. 

Jackson  had  seventy  regiments  of  infantry  and  several  batteries  of  artillery. 
His  force  numbered  fully  28,000  men.  His  troops  were  formed  for  the  attack 
in  three  lines,  the  first  line  being  over  one  mile  long.  Opposed  to  this  veteran 
army  was  the  Eleventh  Corps  alone,  which,  owing  to  the  absence  of  its 
strongest  brigade  —  Barlow's  —  did  not  number  9,000  men, —  and  was  out  of 
position  at  that.  Even  had  they  been  in  position  to  meet  this  attack,  Jackson's 
line,  one  mile  long,  would  have  reached  around  them  on  either  flank. 

And  yet  the  Eleventh  Corps  made  a  sturdy  fight.  These  troops  did  not 
fall  back  until  over  1,800  of  their  number  had  fallen  and  600  had  been  captured. 
Retreating  slowly  through  the  forest,  their  muskets  flashing  defiantly  through 
the  gloom  of  the  nightfall,  they  retarded  Jackson's  victorious  advance  so  that 
two  hours  elapsed  before  the  Confederates  reached  the  Twelfth  Corps'  position 
at  Fairview. 

The  Forty-first  New  York,  on  whom  the  first  attack  fell,  fired  three  well- 
directed  volleys,  and  then  retreated,  stopping  from  time  to  time  to  rally  with 
other  regiments  at  various  points  and  deliver  their  fire.  Some  of  the  men 
joined  in  the  stampede,  usual  under  such  circumstances,  but  the  body  of  the 
regiment  moved  steadily,  and  in  company  with  the  brigade  formed  again  at 
General  Hooker's  headquarters  where  it  protected  three  batteries.*  General 
Devens,  who  commanded  the  division,  speaks  highly,  in  his  official  report,  of 
Colonel  Von  Gilsa's  resolute  exertions  in  rallying  the  retreating  columns  and 
checking  Jackson's  advance.  The  casualties  in  the  regiment  aggregated  61 
in  killed,  wounded  and  missinsr. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  307 

On  June  12,  1863,  the  Eleventh  Corps  left  its  camp  at  Brooke's  Station  on 
the  Aquia  Creek  Railroad,  and  started  on  the  Pennsylvania  campaign.  The 
nine  companies  of  the  Forty-first  were  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Von  Einsiedel,  the  brigade  being  still  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Von  Gilsa.  The  corps  arrived  at  Emmitsburg,  Md.,  on  June  3oth,  and  was 
engaged  the  next  day  in  the  battle  of  the  First  Day  at  Gettysburg.  But  the 
Forty-first  was  not  engaged  in  this  fighting  on  July  ist.  The  regiment,  its 
nine  companies  now  numbering  14  commissioned  officers,  187  enlisted  men 
and  17  musicians,  did  not  arrive  at  Gettysburg  until  10  o'clock  in  the  evening 
of  the  first  day.  It  went  into  position  on  Cemetery  Hill  where  it  was  engaged 
during  the  fighting  on  the  Second  and  Third  Days,  sustaining  a  loss  of  76  in 
killed  and  wounded.  Lieut.  Reinhold  Winzer  was  killed  in  this  battle. 

In  August,  1863,  the  brigade  was  transferred  to  the  South  Carolina  Coast 
where  it  was  assigned  to  Gordon's  Division,  Von  Gilsa  still  retaining  command 
of  the  brigade.  The  regiment  remained  in  the  Department  of  the  South  one 
year,  during  which  time  it  was  engaged  in  the  affair  at  John's  Island,  S.  C., 
February  n,  1864,  where  it  lost  14  in  killed  and  wounded. 

The  term  of  enlistment  of  the  original  members  of  the  regiment  expired  June 
10,  1864,  whereupon  Colonel  Von  Gilsa,  with  360  men  and  officers,  sailed  from 
a  deputation  of  German  citizens  and  a  committee  of  the  Common  Council.  In 
their  march  through  the  city  they  were  escorted  by  the  Fifth  Regiment,  New 
York  Militia.  This  part  of  the  Forty-first  Regiment  was  then  mustered  out. 

The  Forty-first  had  received  during  the  war  about  800  recruits  or  substi 
tutes,  of  whom  520  remained  in  the  field  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Col 
onel  Von  Einsiedel,  having  been  consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  six  companies. 
One  entire  new  company  of  recruits  —  F  —  joined  the  regiment  in  November, 
1863.  In  August,  1864,  this  battalion  embarked  at  Hilton  Head  and  pro 
ceeded  to  Washington,  where  it  was  assigned  to  the  Twenty-second  Corps; 
and,  subsequently,  in  September,  to  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah.  In  De 
cember,  1864,  the  battalion  was  ordered  to  Bermuda  Hundred,  Va.,  where  it 
was  placed  in  Ferrero's  Division,  Army  of  the  James.  It  was  mustered  out 
December  9,  1865,  under  command  of  Capt.  Alfred  Theinhardt,  at  City  Point, 
Va.  Colonel  Von  Einsiedel  died,  August  23,  1865,  of  disease.  He  was  a 
gallant  officer  and  had  commanded  the  regiment  in  nearly  all  its  battles. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

• 

HISTORICAL  NOTES 

FORTY-FIRST  NEW  YORK  INFANTRY 
By  LIEUT.  CHARLES  BORNEMANN. 

Our  regiment  —  the  Forty-first  New  York  —  encamped  during  the  night  of 
June  3Oth  at  Emmitsburg,  Md.  About  2.  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  July  1st,  we 
received  an  order  to  detail  200  men,  fully  equipped,  under  command  of 
Capt.  Clemens  Knipschild,  to  arrest  all  the  farmers  and  civilians  in  the  vicinity 
of  Emmitsburg.  At  that  time  I  was  sergeant  major,  and  received  the  order 
personally.  By  a  mistake  the  200  men  were  allowed  to  leave  the  camp  without 
blankets  and  knapsacks.  About  7  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  July  i,  1863,  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  march  to  Gettysburg;  but  at  this  time  the  200  men 
had  not  returned. 

Colonel  Bourry,  commanding  our  brigade,  to  whom  the  facts  were  reported 
about  the  absence  of  the  200  men,  ordered  the  regiment  to  the  rear  guard  to 
wait  for  them,  and  at  the  same  time  to  escort  an  ammunition  train  to  Gettys 
burg.  We  arrived  at  Gettysburg  about  midnight,  July  i,  1863,  and  took 
position  behind  a  stone  fence,  near  Cemetery  Hill.  In  the  morning  early,  July 
26,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  move  near  the  entrance  or  gate  of  the  Ceme 
tery  to  cover  the  batteries  on  Cemetery  Hill.  While  doing  so  the  batteries 
of  the  enemy  shelled  us,  the  regiment  losing  several  men  killed  and  wounded. 
On  the  afternoon  of  July  2d,  we  were  ordered  to  advance  to  a  stone  fence 
again,  about  300  or  400  feet  in  front  of  our  batteries,  as  we  could  plainly  see 
the  enemy  advancing  in  three  lines.  Between  each  line  was  a  distance  of 
about  500  feet  or  more.  We  were  in  our  new  ppsition  when  the  battle  com 
menced.  During  the  attack  the  enemy  broke  through  our  regiment,  and  four 
companies  of  the  Second  Battalion  were  driven  nearer  to  Gettysburg.  Our 
line  then  had  the  form  of  a  triangle  as  far  as  I  could  observe.  As  we  had  lost 
several  officers  killed  and  wounded,  I  was  ordered  to  take  charge  of  a  com 
pany  on  the  evening  of  July  2d.  During  this  battle  of  July  2d,  the  enemy 
made  a  charge  on  the  batteries  in  the  rear  of  us, —  on  Cemetery  Hill, —  and  a 
cannon  came  hurling  down  the  hill  in  our  ranks  and  killed  or  wounded  a  man. 

In  the  morning  of  July  3,  1863,  heavy  firing  was  heard  on  our  left,  and  many 
shells  exploded  in  our  line,  wounding  several  of  our  men.  On  this  day  I  was 
ordered  to  look  for  the  four  companies  of  our  regiment,  which  were  pushed 
back  July  2d,  and  found  them  right  in  front  of  Gettysburg.  Capt.  Henry 
Arens,  who  took  command  of  these  four  companies,  told  me  that  he  had  lost 
several  men  by  the  enemy's  sharpshooters,  July  3d.  On  July  4th  the  regiment 
was  together  again,  and  marched  into  Gettysburg.  It  took  a  position  in  the 
public  square  where  it  remained  for  some  time ;  but  towards  evening  the  regi 
ment  was  ordered  back  to  its  old  position  on  Cemetery  Hill. 

On  July  5th,  about  6  o'clock,  p.  M.,  we  started  from  Gettysburg  in  pursuit 
of  the  enemy  to  Williamsport,  where  we  could  see  the  rear  guard  of  the  enemy 
crossing  the  river.  From  there  we  marched  to  Alexandria,  Va.,  and  em- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  309 

barked  for  Charleston.  S.  C,  where  the  regiment  remained  until  mustered  out 
of  service  in  August,  1864. 

The  Forty-first  New  York  was  mustered  into  service  on  June  6,  1861,  and  left 
New  York  City  July  8,  1861.  It  was  at  the  First  Battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  21, 
1861,  but  not  in  action,  after  which  it  marched  back  to  Washington,  and  stayed 
there  four  days.  Crossing  the  Long  Bridge  again  into  Virginia,  it  moved  to 
the  heights  opposite  Georgetown  or  Chain  Bridge,  where  our  men  built  Fort 
De  Kalb.  From  here  we  were  transferred  to  Blenker's  Division,  then  en 
camped  at  Hunter's  Chapel.  On  March  10,  1862,  we  broke  camp  and  started 
towards  Richmond;  but  at  Warrenton  Junction  we  received  orders  to  march 
through  Manassas  Gap,  and  report  to  General  Fremont.  We  went  up  the 
Shenandoah  Valley  as  far  as  Mount  Jackson,  then  came  back  and  were 
engaged  at  the  Battle  of  Cross  Keys,  Va.,  June  8,  1862.  We  had  more  fighting 
at  Sulphur  Springs,  Waterloo  Bridge,  and  Rappahannock  Station.  We 
marched  to  Culpeper  Court  House  on  our  way  to  Cedar  Mountain,  but  we 
arrived  too  late  for  the  battle.  Then  we  went  to  the  Rapidan.  From  there 
we  marched  to  the  Second  Battle  of  Bull  Run,  August  29-30,  1862.  After  the 
battle  we  retreated  and  passed  through  Chantilly;  came  nearly  to  the  Potomac, 
and  marched  to  Centreville;  there  we  remained  in  camp  about  four  weeks,  and 
then  marched  to  Gainesville,  Aldie  Gap,  Chantilly,  Fairfax  Court  House  and 
Station,  Dumfries,  and  to  Fredericksburg,  December  15,  1862,  arriving  there 
at  the  close  of  the  battle.  From  here  we  marched  to  Stafford  Court  House 
where  we  encamped  for  about  four  weeks.  Leaving  Stafford  we  marched  to 
Aquia  Creek,  and  thence  to  Brooke's  Station,  where  we  remained  in  winter 
quarters  till  April  26,  1863. 

We  then  started  on  the  Chancellorsville  campaign,  crossing  the  Rappahan 
nock  at  Kelly's  Ford.  At  Chancellorsville,  we  were  engaged  in  battle  on  May 
2  and  3,  1863.  We  recrossed  the  Rappahannock  again  at  United  States 
Ford,  and  marched  back  to  Brooke's  Station. 

We  left  there  June  12,  1863,  and  marched  to  Centreville,  Leesburg,  and 
Goose  Creek,  crossing  the  Potomac  June  24,  1863,  at  Edwards  Ferry;  thence 
to  Burketsville,  Middletown,  Frederick  City,  Adamsville,  and  along  South 
Mountain  to  Emmitsburg  and  Gettysburg. 

We  left  Gettysburg  July  5,  1863,  marching  back  to  Emmitsburg,  Frederick 
City,  Middletown,  Boonsboro,  Hagerstown,  Sharpsburg  and  Williamsport; 
thence  to  Hagerstown,  Middletown,  Marysville,  and  Jeffersonville  to  Berlin 
where  we  recrossed  the  Potomac.  From  here  we  marched  to  Leesburg,  New 
Baltimore,  Warrenton  Junction  and  Alexandria,  where  we  arrived  August  6, 
1863.  Here  the  regiment  embarked  for  Charleston,  S.  C.,  where  it  arrived 
August  13,  1863,  and  encamped  on  Folly  Island.  On  September  7,  1863,  we 
marched  to  Morris  Island,  near  Fort  Wagner,  where  we  witnessed  the  bom 
bardment  of  Forts  Sumter  and  Moultrie  by  our  fleet.  On  the  9th  we  returned 
to  our  camp  at  Folly  Island.  September  i6th-i8,  we  were  under  arms  early 
every  morning  fearing  an  attack  by  the  enemy.  September  22d  the  regiment 
passed  in  review  before  General  Gordon,  our  new  division  commander,  and  on 
the  25th  we  were  reviewed  by  General  Gilmore,  the  department  commander. 
November  13,  1863,  tne  regiment  was  ordered  to  go  to  Kiawah  Island,  where 


310  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

we  camped  on  Vanderhorst's  Farm.  We  crossed  a  muddy  creek  with  the 
intention  of  attacking  a  sugar  mill  during  the  night;  but  by  some  delay  of  the 
troops  the  attack  was  postponed,  and  we  returned  to  Folly  Island. 

On  November  26th  we  received  337  recruits,  and  on  December  2d,  119 
recruits.  December  24th,  3  officers  and  100  men  of  our  regiment  were  ordered 
to  Legareville  on  the  Stono  River.  The  next  morning  (Christmas)  we  were 
attacked  by  the  enemy,  but  the  war  vessels,  Pawnee,  Marblehead,  and  C.  P. 
Williams  took  part  in  the  fight,  and  the  enemy  was  repulsed  with  heavy  loss. 
February  5,  1864,  the  regiment  \vas  reviewed  by  General  Terry.  On  the  6th 
we  marched  again  to  Kiawah  Island,  to  Vanderhorst  Farm,  to  Seabrook  Island, 
to  the  Sugar  Mill,  and  thence  to  John's  Island  where  we  had  an  engagamcnt 
with  the  enemy  in  which  the  regiment  lost  several  men  killed  and  wounded. 
On  the  I2th,  having  burned  the  Sugar  Mill,  we  returned  to  Folly  Island. 
February  22d  at  5  o'clock,  p.  M.,  the  regiment  broke  camp  and  marched  to 
Pawnee  Landing,  on  its  way  to  Florida,  but  receiving  counter  orders  returned 
to  its  camp  on  Folly  Island. 

April  2  ist  the  regiment  went  again  to  John's  Island  on  picket  duty,  but 
returned  the  same  day  at  9  p.  M.  April  23d,  150  men  went  to  Cole's  Island  on 
picket  duty  and  returned  to  camp  April  26th.  April  29th  the  regiment  was 
again  on  picket  duty  at  Cole's  Island,  returning  to  camp  May  1st.  May  2ist, 
an  expedition  went  to  John's  Island  and  returned  May  22d.  June  6th,  the 
regiment  left  Folly  Island  for  Hilton  Head  to  be  mustered  out  of  service,  which 
finally  took  place  at  New  York  City,  August  27,  1864. 


3SB  BfilGAOE, 
2MB  DIVISION, 
0  COSPS. 


J.  B.  I.YON  PRINT 


F.  J.  SEVIiKE.M.'t.   1'HUTl 


42D    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
On  Cemetery  Ri;lge,  near  the  ''flump  of  Trees." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 
(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 

42ND 

NEW  YORK 

INFANTRY. 
SRD  BRIGADE, 
2ND  DIVISION, 

SND  CORPS. 

TAMMANY 

REGIMENT 

(Reverse.) 

THIS  REGIMENT  WAS  RAISED 

AND  ORGANIZED  BY  COLONEL 

WILLIAM  D.  KENNEDY  UNDER 

THE  PATRONAGE  OF  THE 

TAMMANY  SOCIETY,  AND 

OF  THE  UNION  DEFENCE 

COMMITTEE  OF 
NEW  YORK  CITY. 


(Left  Side.) 

MUSTERED  INTO  U.  S. 

SERVICE,  JUNE  22,  1861. 

TOTAL  ENROLLMENT  1,210. 

PARTICIPATED 
IN  19  BATTLES. 

KILLED  92, 

WOUNDED  328, 

MISSING  298. 

MUSTERED  OUT 

JULY  13,  1864. 


(Right  Side.) 

JULY  2,  1863. —  WENT  TO 
SUPPORT  OF  30  CORPS, 

ABOUT    5    P.    M. 

HELD  THIS 

POSITION  JULY  3,  AND 
ASSISTED  IN  REPULSING 

THE  ASSAULT  OF 
PICKETT'S  DIVISION. 

CASUALTIES  : 

KILLED  15,  WOUNDED  55, 
MISSING  4. 


312  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT 
42D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

September  24,  1891. 
ORATION  BY  MAJ.  GEN.  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES,  U.  S.  A. 

The  Forty-second  New  York  Infantry  was  raised  and  organized  by  the 
Tammany  Society,  in  the  City  of  New  York,  in  May  and  June,  1861.  The  regi 
ment  was  taken  to  the  field  by  the  Grand  Sachem  of  that  year,  Col.  William 
D.  Kennedy,  who  died  a  few  days  afterward  in  Washington,  in  July.  Colonel 
Kennedy  was  succeeded  by  Capt.  Milton  Cogswell,  an  accomplished  officer  of 
the  Regular  Army.  Among  the  Sachems  of  Tammany  who  were  conspicuous 
in  their  efforts  to  raise  this  famous  battalion,  I  may  mention  Elijah  F.  Purdy, 
Daniel  E.  Delavan,  Isaac  Bell,  Thomas  Dunlap,  Smith  Ely,  and  John  Clancy. 

Early  in  the  same  year,  1861,  several  other  Tammany  leaders  raised  regi 
ments  and  brigades  for  the  war.  Among  them  were  the  Chasseurs,  organized 
by  Gen.  John  Cochrane,  the  brigades  of  Gen.  Thomas  Francis  Meagher,  and 
General  Corcoran,  and  the  brigade  of  General  Sickles,  which  was  composed  of 
five  regiments. 

Meagher's  and  Nugent's  Sixty-ninth  Regiment  lost  more  men  in  battle,  killed 
and  wounded,  than  any  infantry  regiment  from  the  State  of  New  York. 
Sickles'  First  Excelsior  lost  the  mos-t  men  killed  and  wounded  in  one  battle, 
having  lost  at  WilHamsburg,  79  killed  and  168  wounded,  including  7  officers 
killed  and  22  wounded  out  of  33  officers  present.  At  Antietam,  8  color-bearers 
of  the  Irish  Brigade  were  shot  down  at  Bloody  Lane,  but  the  brigade  carried 
the  position.  At  Fredericksburg  the  color  sergeant  of  the  Sixty-ninth  was 
found  dead  with  his  flag  concealed  and  wrapped  around  his  body,  a  bullet 
having  pierced  the  flag  and  his  heart.  At  Antietam,  the  Forty-second,  then 
in  Dana's  Brigade,  Sedgwick's  Division  of  the  Second  Corps,  charged  with 
Sedgwick  into  the  woods  around  the  Dunker  Church,  where  it  lost  180  out 
of  the  345  who  were  engaged.  Maj.  James  E.  Mallon,  afterward  colonel  of 
the  Forty-second,  is  especially  mentioned  by  General  Howard  and  Colonel 
Hall,  the  brigade  and  division  commanders,  for  his  efficient  and  fearless  ser 
vices  in  keeping  the  men  in  ranks  under  fire,  and  for  his  daring  in  recovering 
the  fallen  colors  of  his  regiment  in  the  face  of  the  advancing  enemy.  Col. 
Edmund  C.  Charles,  of  the  Forty-second  was  left  wounded,  supposed  mortally, 
at  Nelson's  Farm,  one  of  the  Seven  Days'  battles. 

In  the  Chancellorsville  campaign,  the  Forty-second,  under  Mallon,  was  pres 
ent  at  the  assault  and  capture  of  Fredericksburg;  and  here  again  the  regiment 
is  especially  commended  by  the  brigade  commander.  Col.  Norman  J.  Hall,  not 
only  for  its  coolness  and  steadiness  in  battle,  but  also  for  the  admirable  dis 
cipline  that  under  the  most  trying  circumstances  saved  its  position  from  the 
effects  of  a  panic,  created  by  a  false  alarm  in  the  night.  Again,  at  Gettys 
burg,  the  Forty-second,  under  Colonel  Mallon,  was  distinguished  for  gallant 
conduct  in  the  second  and  third  days  of  this  battle.  In  the  final  charge  of 
Armistead's  Brigade  of  the  enemy,  Sergt.  Michael  Cuddy,  the  color  bearer, 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  313 

was  mortally  wounded.  Already  distinguished  at  Fredericksburg  for  daring 
courage,  this  heroic  soldier,  a  moment  after  he  fell  with  his  colors,  rose  in 
the  face  of  the  advancing  enemy,  and  triumphantly  waving  the  flag  he  so  dearly 
loved,  this  flag  I  now  hold,  dropped  dead  —  his  body  covering  the  standard. 
At  Bristoe  Station  the  brave  Colonel  Mallon,  then  commanding  a  brigade, 
was  killed  at  the  extreme  front  while  rallying  his  own  regiment  under  a  heavy 
fire. 

At  Ball's  Bluff,  in  1861,  under  Cogswell;  in  the  Seven  Days'  Battles,  in  1862, 
under  Charles;  at  Antietam  and  Fredericksburg,  in  1862,  under  Bomford;  at 
Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  and  Bristoe  Station,  in  1863,  under  Mallon;  in 
the  Wilderness  Campaign,  in  1864,  under  Lynch,  this  intrepid  old  regiment 
gained  fresh  honors  in  every  conflict,  until  its  term  of  enlistment  expired  July 
13,  1864,  when  it  was  mustered  out  of  service,  transferring  a  number  of  its  men 
who  re-enlisted,  together  with  the  recruits,  to  the  Eighty-second  New  York. 

The  Forty-second  took  part  in  36  battles  and  engagements.  The  largest 
losses  of  the  regiment  were  in  the  great  battles  of  Antietam  and  Gettysburg, 
in  which  it  lost  in  killed  and  wounded  18  officers  and  223  enlisted  men;  and 
considering  the  total  number  of  men  present  in  the  line  of  battle  in  the  regi 
ment,  this  record  gives  the  Forty-second  the  right  to  be  included,  as  history 
has  already  included  it,  among  the  great  fighting  regiments  of  the  war. 

The  history  of  the  Tammany  Society  which  raised  this  regiment  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  war,  dates  from  the  foundation  of  our  Government.  This  his 
torical  organization  was  conspicuous  among  the  founders  of  the  great  political 
party  with  which  it  has  always  been  identified.  Among  its  illustrious  roll  of 
Sachems  are  included  the  names  of  George  Clinton,  Philip  Schuyler,  Walter 
Bowne,  Brockholst  Livingston,  Samuel  Osgood,  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  Garret 
Sickles,  Stephen  Allen,  Michael  Ulshoeffer,  John  A.  Dix,  Samuel  J.  Tilden, 
Augustus  Schell,  John  Van  Buren,  Churchill  C.  Cambrelling  and  John  T. 
Irving. 

Jefferson,  Madison,  Clinton,  and  Jackson  found  their  strongest  supporters 
in  its  ranks.  Established  as  a  bulwark  against  the  aristocratic  traditions  and 
tendencies  inherited  from  British  ancestors,  it  supported  Jefferson  and  his 
policy  of  shaping  our  institutions  and  customs  according  to  the  maxims  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence.  In  the  War  of  1812  with  England,  the 
Society  of  Tammany  sustained  President  Madison  and  Governor  Tompkins 
in  all  the  war  measures  that  brought  that  memorable  conflict  to  an  honorable 
peace.  It  resisted  the  efforts  of  secessionists  and  the  treasonable  overtures 
then  for  the  first  time  heard  in  the  East.  It  supported  Jackson  in  his  meas 
ures  for  the  suppression  of  nullification  in  South  Carolina;  and  it  sustained 
him  in  his  long  struggle  against  the  money  power,  which,  under  the  leader 
ship  of  the  Bank  of  the  United  States,  assumed  to  control  the  financial  policy 
of  the  Government.  It  supported  Polk  and  Marcy  in  the  War  with  Mexico, 
in  the  annexation  of  Texas,  and  in  the  acquisition  of  California,  which  estab 
lished  our  boundaries  on  the  Pacific  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

When  the  Civil  War  of  1861  followed  the  election  of  Lincoln,  the  influence 
of  Tammany  Hall  was  instantly  shown  in  the  patriotic  action  of  the  Common 
Council  of  our  city,  where  its  power  was  supreme,  pledging  to  the  President 


214  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

all  the  resources  of  the  municipality,  in  men  and  money,  for  the  support  of  the 
Government,  in  the  enforcement  of  the  laws,  and  to  maintain  the  Union. 

Let  me  here  recall  the  concluding  resolutions  of  the  series,  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  New  York  Common  Council  at  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board 
of  Aldermen,  convened  on  the  iQth  of  April,  1861,  while  the  echoes  of  Sumter 
were  still  heard.  These  resolutions  I  had  the  honor  to  draft. 

Resolved,  That  we  invoke  in  this  crisis  the  unselfish  patriotism  and  the  unfaltering 
loyalty  which  have  been  uniformly  manifested  in  all  periods  of  national  peril  by  the 
population  of  the  City  of  New  York;  and  while  we  reiterate  our  undiminished  affection 
for  the  friends  of  the  Union  who  have  gallantly  and  faithfully  labored  in  the  Southern 
States  for  the  preservation  of  peace,  and  the  restoration  of  fraternal  relations  among  the 
people,  and  our  readiness  to  co-operate  with  them  in  all  honorable  measures  of  reconcilia 
tion,  yet,  we  only  give  expression  to  the  convictions  of  our  constituents  when  we  declare 
it  to  be  their  unalterable  purpose,  as  it  is  their  solemn  duty,  to  do  all  in  their  power  to 
uphold  and  defend  the  integrity  of  the  Union,  and  to  vindicate  the  honor  of  our  flag, 
and  to  crush  the  power  of  those  who  are  enemies  in  war,  as  in  peace  they  were  friends. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  preamble  and  resolutions  be  transmitted  to  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  to  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

I  well  remember  the  words  of  President  Lincoln,  referring  to  this  action 
of  our  city  government,  a  few  days  afterward,  when  I  called  upon  him  for 
instructions  touching  the  command  I  had  undertaken  to  raise  on  the  invita 
tion  of  Governor  Morgan.  He  said:  "Sickles,  I  have  here  on  my  table  the 
resolutions  passed  by  your  Common  Council  appropriating  a  million  of  dollars 
toward  raising  men  for  this  war,  and  promising  to  do  all  in  the  power  of  your 
authorities  to  support  the  Government.  When  these  resolutions  were  brought 
to  me  by  Alderman  Frank  Boole  and  his  associates  of  the  Committee,  I  felt 
my  burden  lighter.  I  felt  that  when  men  break  through  party  lines  and  take 
this  patriotic  stand  for  the  Government  and  the  Union,  all  must  come  out  well 
in  the  end.  When  you  see  them,  tell  them  for  me,  they  made  my  heart  glad, 
and  I  can  only  say,  God  bless  them." 

This  action  of  the  Common  Council  of  New  York  made  the  great  city  a  unit 
for  national  defence;  it  united  all  parties  for  the  Union.  Men  and  money 
were  given  without  stint  for  the  war;  gold  flowed  from  Wall  street  to  the 
National  Treasury  like  the  stream  of  another  Pactolus;  every  house  and  every 
shop  was  a  recruiting  station. 

The  electric  flash  that  brought  the  news  of  Sumter  to  the  North  was  not 
quicker  than  the  martial  current  that  sped  from  man  to  man  and  from  woman 
to  woman,  transforming  our  people  from  civilians  to  soldiers.  The  flag  low 
ered  at  Sumter  was  unfurled  everywhere  on  spires  of  church  and  cathedral,  in 
Wall  Street,  in  market  place,  in  every  village  and  every  schoolhouse,  and  over 
the  homes  of  the  rich  and  poor,  far  and  near.  The  newspapers,  like  mirrors, 
reflected  the  universal  war  movement  of  the  people.  Public  meetings  were 
as  spontaneous  as  the  April  leaves  that  fill  the  woods,  and  Union  Square 
could  not  hold  the  thousands  poured  into  it  from  every  avenue  and  street,  like 
unloosened  streams  hurrying  to  the  sea.  Go  where  you  would,  there  was  but 
one  theme  to  talk  about  —  the  impending  war.  Traffic  lost  its  thrift,  industries 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  315 

were  tedious,  amusements  lacked  zest,  and  it  was  only  the  sound  of  the  drum 
and  the  bugle  that  won  every  ear.  The  flag  so  long  without  meaning,  unless 
seen  far  away  from  home,  on  some  distant  sea,  or  in  a  foreign  land,  all  at 
once  had  a  new  charm;  it  filled  our  eyes  and  stirred  our  hearts.  We  counted 
its  stars;  it  stood  for  the  Union.  For  the  rich,  it  meant  their  wealth;  for  the 
poor,  who  have  only  a  country  and  a  home,  it  meant  everything  they  held  dear; 
for  the  slave,  it  meant  freedom.  We  saw  the  colors  proudly  carried  by  the 
battalions  hastily  summoned  to  Washington;  and  among  the  multitudes  that 
filled  the  streets,  gayly  decked  with  a  thousand  banners,  there  were  not  many 
who  did  not  wish  themselves  in  the  ranks. 

The  State  of  New  York  raised  400,000  men  for  the  Union  armies.  Of  these 
vast  numbers,  53,000  died  in  service.  Our  State  has  erected  76  monuments 
on  this  battlefield,  commemorating  the  heroic  services  of  its  battalions  and  its 
batteries.  Of  the  300  renowned  battalions  in  the  army,  whose  losses  in 
battle,  in  killed  and  wounded,  as  shown  by  Fox,  were  the  greatest  —  59  were 
New  York  troops.  In  this  number  are  included  4  of  the  5  regiments  of  Sickles' 
Brigade. 

From  1861  to  1865  the  State  of  New  York  expended  $125,000,000  in  raising 
and  equipping  its  troops.  The  New  York  regiments  and  batteries  took  part 
in  more  than  1,000  battles,  engagements,  and  skirmishes.  Of  the  250  regi 
ments  of  infantry,  cavalry,  and  engineers  raised  in  our  State,  127  of  them  were 
organized  and  mainly  recruited  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The  very  large 
enlistments  for  the  navy,  besides,  were  mainly  drawn  from  our  city.  The 
municipal  authorities  and  our  citizens  never  faltered  a  moment  in  their  efforts 
to  advance  the  cause  of  the  Union.  The  City  Hall  Park  was  filled  with  bar 
racks;  the  families  of  the  city  volunteers  received  an  allowance  toward  their 
support  from  the  city  treasury,  a  bounty  nowhere  else  given.  Millions  were 
voted  by  the  city  to  equip  the  municipal  regiments.  And  afterward  we  sup 
ported  enthusiastically  the  heroes  of  Antietam  and  Gettysburg  for  the  highest 
honors  in  the  gift  of  the  Republic.  This  is  the  honorable  war  record  of  our 
patriotic  metropolis. 

There  are  nearly  400  monuments  on  this  battlefield;  all  but  two  of  them 
commemorate  the  services  of  the  soldiers  who  fought  this  battle.  I  have  seen 
many  monuments  in  other  countries  erected  in  honor  of  commanders  of  armies, 
but  it  was  reserved  for  us  to  signalize  in  this  manner  the  heroism  of  the  rank 
and  file  of  our  battalions.  Apart  from  this  battlefield,  a  hundred  of  these  memo 
rials  are  already  placed  in  as  many  towns  and  cities.  There  is  no  better  way 
to  prepare  for  the  next  war  than  to  show  your  appreciation  of  your  defenders, 
in  the  last  war.  No  nation  can  long  survive  the  decline  of  its  martial  strength. 
When  it  ceases  to  honor  its  soldiers,  it  will  have  none.  It  cannot  be  said  of 
our  Republic  that  it  has  been  ungrateful.  We  give  more  than  a  hundred  mil 
lion  dollars  a  year,  in  pensions,  to  the  soldiers  of  our  wars.  We  recognize 
their  right  to  share  in  the  grand  result  of  their  achievements.  Our  people 
help  the  helpless  survivors;  we  try  to  save  their  families  from  want;  we  erect 
monuments  to  the  men  who  fell  in  battle.  The  military  power  of  this  country 
rests  in  the  ranks  of  its  reserves,  the  6,000,000  of  citizens  ready  to  volunteer 
to  take  up  arms  whenever  the  exigency  demands  their  services. 


316  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

There  is  a  day  and  an  hour  in  the  annals  of  every  nation  when  its  life  hangs 
on  the  issue  of  a  battle;  when  it  stands  or  falls  by  the  sword.  Such  a  battle 
was  Gettysburg.  You  are  now  standing  on  the  field  where  the  destiny  of 
this  Republic  was  decided.  Right  here,  are  some  of  the  brave  soldiers,  vet 
erans  of  the  Forty-second,  who  helped  to  win  the  decisive  victory  for  the 
Union.  You  stand,  right  here,  on  a  spot  that  was  a  vortex  of  battle;  man 
to  man,  steel  against  steel,  rifle  and  cannon  and  sword,  shot  and  shell,  the 
hoarse  voices  of  desperate  combatants,  the  smoke  and  flame  and  the  clash  of 
arms.  Right  here,  near  this  clump  of  trees  the  resolute  onset  of  the  veteran 
divisions  led  by  Pickett  and  Pettigrew  and  Trimble  met  the  solid  front  of  Han 
cock's  Corps  as  the  ocean  wave  strikes  the  rock,  and  like  the  wave,  was 
dashed  into  spray  as  the  advancing  lines  of  the  enemy  broke  into  fragments 
against  the  wall  of  Hancock's  bayonets. 

Right  here,  in  the  thickest  of  the  combat  stood  your  own  gallant  Forty-second, 
under  the  eye  of  the  young  and  gifted  Mallon.  He  says  in  his  official  report: 
"I  formed  the  regiment  in  line,  facing  the  decisive  point;  the  line  was  but 
fairly  established  and  but  just  started  in  the  direction  of  the  contested  point, 
when  Colonel  Hall,  our  brigade  commander,  with  words  of  encouragement 
cheered  us  forward.  With  the  impetus  conveyed  by  these  words,  the  regiment 
vigorously  advanced,  and  in  that  charge  which  rescued  our  batteries  from  the 
hands  of  our  foe,  which  saved  our  army  from  disaster,  which  gave  to  us  glorious 
success,  this  regiment  was  foremost  and  its  flag  in  the  advance." 

Right  here,  too,  the  brave  Michael  Cuddy  fell  with  his  flag,  this  very  flag, 
and  here  he  rose  once  more,  as  Mallon  says,  "  and  waved  his  flag  in  the  face 
of  the  enemy  not  ten  yards  distant  —  that  flag  he  loved  so  well,  of  which  he  was 
so  proud,  and  for  which  his  precious  life  without  a  murmur  was  freely  given 
up."  All  honor  then  to  Meagher,  O'Rourke,  Kelly,  Corcoran,  De  Lacy,  Mal 
lon,  and  Cuddy  —  glorious  types  of  the  Irish-American  soldier. 

Of  the  effective  force  of  80,000  men,  on  our  side,  engaged  in  the  Battle  of 
Gettysburg,  27,000,  fully  one-third,  were  New  York  troops.  And  of  the  total 
loss  in  the  Union  Army,  23,000,  our  loss  was  6,707. 

The  day  is  not  distant,  I  trust,  when  the  War  Department  will  establish  a 
military  post  here,  at  Gettysburg,  which  shall  include  the  battlefield  among 
its  dependencies,  so  that  all  of  the  topographical  features  of  the  ground  may 
remain  unimpaired,  and  the  numerous  monuments  erected  by  eighteen  States 
on  this  field,  may  be  properly  guarded  and  preserved.  Such  a  military  post 
should  be  garrisoned  by  at  least  one  company  of  artillery,  with  its  appro'  riate 
equipment,  to  the  end  that  the  morning  and  evening  gun  may  forever  salute 
the  flag  of  the  Union  which  was  so  heroically  defended  on  this  consecrated 
ground. 

To-day  Europe  is  a  camp.  The  soil  trembles  with  the  tread  of  millions  of 
armed  men  that  listen  for  the  command  that  will  begin  a.  conflict  such  as  the 
world  has  never  seen.  Happily,  here  we  enjoy  the  tranquillity  of  perfect  peace. 
Our  battles  are  fought;  fraternity  at  home  and  good  will  abroad  are  stronger 
guarantees  than  armies.  France,  Germany,  Austria,  and  Russia  are  now  dis 
ciplining  their  vast  armies  in  sham  battles,  the  school  of  war.  We  spend  our 
money  in  teaching  our  children  the  arts  of  peace,  and  while  you  enjoy  its 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  317 

blessings  you  have  chosen  a  fit  moment  to  commemorate  the  men  who  won 
this  boon  for  us  at  the  cost  of  precious  sacrifices. 

The  soldiers  of  1861  were  not  enlisted  in  a  war  of  conquest.  They  did  not 
follow  an  ambitious  usurper;  they  were  not  tools  of  kings  to  rivet  chains  on 
unwilling  hands.  They  took  up  arms  for  the  people,  of  whom  they  were  a  part, 
to  save  the  people's  government,  and  to  maintain  the  people's  Union.  The 
volunteers  of  1861  were  the  flower  of  our  young  manhood.  If  they  were  poor 
in  purse,  they  had  at  least  a  home  and  a  country,  and  for  these  they  gave  all 
they  had  to  give  —  their  time,  their  services,  and  their  lives.  For  their  homes 
and  country  and  for  you  they  risked  wounds,  disease,  privations,  and  poverty. 
Compare  the  situation  of  this  country  in  1861  with  its  position  now,  and  you 
will  all  comprehend  why  it  is  that  so  many  States  and  cities  and  towns  have 
erected  soldiers'  monuments.  The  same  comparison  helps  us  to  understand 
why  it  is  that  we  give  a  hundred  million  dollars  a  year  in  pensions  to  soldiers 
and  sailors.  These  proofs  of  public  appreciation  and  gratitude  mark  the  esti 
mate  put  by  our  citizens  on  the  services  rendered  to  the  country  by  the  Army 
and  Navy  Irom  1861  to  1865.  In  our  time  no  ruler  will  be  chosen  in  this 
country  who  will  take  a  dollar  away  from  the  bounty  given  by  a  grateful  nation 
to  its  defenders. 

Standing  near  the  magnificent  tomb  of  Napoleon  in  Paris,  some  years  ago, 
my  son,  then  a  boy  of  six  or  seven  years,  said  to  me,  "  Father,  does  Napoleon 
know  what  a  beautiful  monument  he  has?"  This  question,  like  many  others 
asked  by  inquisitive  boys  and  girls,  was  not  easy  to  answer.  I  trust  that  the 
brave  and  faithful  soldiers  of  the  Republic  who  fell  in  the  great  conflict,  far 
away  from  home  and  kindred,  now  see  and  know  what  is  done  for  their  memory 
by  the  men  and  women  of  this  generation.  I  trust  they  know  something  of 
the  splendor  and  the  strength  of  the  Republic  they  died  to  save.  Let  the 
presence  of  your  own  heroic  dead  consecrate  this  monument.  Let  it  stand 
for  uncounted  years,  to  tell  the  story  of  Tammany's  devotion  to  the  country 
in  time  of  war,  and  of  her  love  for  her  soldiers  who  fell  in  the  great  conflict. 
American  from  head  to  foot  in  its  beautiful  design,  graceful  in  form,  impres 
sive  in  its  grand  proportions,  let  this  memorial  remind  the  coming  generations, 
as  long  as  bronze  and  granite  lasts,  of  the  debt  they  owe  to  the  Tammany 
Braves  of  1861. 


318  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


THE  PATRIOTIC  DEAD. 

Dedicated  to  the  Veterans  of  the  Tammany   Regiment,   at   the   Unveiling   of  the 

Monument  at  Gettysburg. 


By  WILLIAM  GEOGHEGAN. 


Gaze  on  this  spot!  'Tis  sacred  ground 

We  tread  upon  to-day; 
The  mould  that  forms  each  sacred  mound 

Is  loved  and  honored  clay. 
For  here  within  its  breast  reclines 

The  dust  of  those  who  died, — 
Who  met  the  foe  in  serried  lines 

On   many  a  green   hill-side. 

Pause!  for  the  brave  are  sleeping  here. 

And  war's  wild  trumpet  roar 
Can  wake  them  not  with  hope  or  fear; 

The  battle's  strife  is  o'er, 
The  tumult  and  the  fight  have  passed, 

And  brothers,  we,  to-day, 
Unmindful  of  the  gory  past, 

All  hail  the  blue  and  gray! 

We  raise  a  column  o'er  the  brave 

Who  died  that  we  might  be 
A  ransomed  people,  and  the  slave 

Might  bask  in  liberty. 
We  honor  those  who  fought  and  bled, 

The  first  in    Freedom's  van, 
When  Tammany  to  glory  led 

Its  great  and  fearless  clan. 

"On  to  the  front!  "  the  order  came; 

They  echoed  prompt  the  battle-cry, 
And  each  walked  forth  with  heart  aflame 

In  battle  line  to  fight  or  die! 
"On  to  the  front!"  and  every  man 

Leaped  to  his  post  as  freemen  should,' 
Careless  of  race,  or  creed  or  clan, 
And  only  as  a  freeman  could. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  319 

"  On  to  the  front!  "  They  met  the  foe  — 

What  reck  we  now  —  the  past  is   gone; 
In  every  heart  a  burning  glow 

Flames  for  the  flag  of  Washington! 
"  On  to  the  front!  "  That  shout  no  more 

Can  rouse  the  soldier  from  his  sleep; 
His  toil,  his  pain,  and  strife  are  o'er; 
And  by  his  grave  his  comrades  weep. 

Down  where  the  rolling  river 

Runs  out  to  meet  the  sea, 
Where  willows  and  the  aspens  quiver, 

And  daisies  deck  the  lea; 
Where  mountains  frown  in  glory 

Above  the  eddying  wave, 
There,  shrined  in  song  and  story, 

Repose  our  patriot  brave! 

As  onward  the  river  dashes 

Resistless  to  the  sea, 
As  deep  in  the  soul  there  flashes 

The  fire  of  the  brave  and  free, 
Of  those  whose  fearless  daring 

Shone  bright  as  the  summer  sun, 
Who  of  life  and  fame  uncaring, 

Remember   Washington, — 
They  died  for  the  cause  of  Freedom, 

In  field,  on  mount,  in  glen, 
With  Tammany  men  to  lead  them, 

And  all  were  Tammany  menl 

Raise  high  the  storied  column 

Above  the  patriot  dead! 
It  tells  in  silence  solemn 

How  well  they  fought  and  bled. 
And  let  it  tell  that  when  the  foe 

To  shreds  our  flag  would  tear, 
To  guard  its  fold  through  weal  and  vfOQ 

The  Tammany  men  were  there. 

Our  buried  braves  in  slumber  rest; 

Peace  to  their  souls  to-day! 
They  are  commingled  with  the  blest, 

Though  they  have  passed  away, 
Their  patriot  spirits  move  each  heart 

With  hope,  and  joy  and  pride, 
To  act,  like  them,  a  brave  man's  part, 

And  die  as  they  have  died. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


320 


By  GENERAL  MARTIN  T.  McMAHON,  U.  S.  V. 

During  the  century  of  existence  of  the  Tammany  Society  there  has  been  no 
event  more  full  of  interest  to  those  of  us  who  assemble  here  to-day,  under 
the  name  and  the  auspices  of  the  Columbian  order,  than  that  which  brings  us 
together.  The  dedication  of  this  monument  to  the  memory  of  those  brave  men 
who  gave  their  lives  to  prove  that  they  firmly  believed  in  the  motto  of  the 
organization, — "  Civil  Liberty  and  Glory  of  Man," —  is  the  purpose  and  motive 
of  our  assembling. 

When  the  first  signal  of  civil  strife  was  sounded  in  the  land,  the  banner  of 
the  Tammany  Society  was  raised  aloft,  and  the  Forty-second  Regiment  of  Ne  .v 
York  Volunteers  was  organized  under  its  folds.  This  regiment  served  through 
out  the  war,  achieving  a  record  excelled  by  none. 

Later,  after  the  unfortunate  suspension  of  recruitment,  at  a  time  when  the 
soldiers  were  more  than  ever  needed,  when  our  armies  had  been  depleted  by 
the  casualties  of  war,  the  Tammany  Society  surrendered  its  ancient  building 
to  the  uses  of  the  Government,  and  converted  the  Wigwam  and  its  Council  Hall 
into  a  recruiting  depot  under  the  gallant  soldier  who  stands  as  the  most  con 
spicuous  officer  who  served  and  bled  upon  this  field  —  Winfield  Scott  Han 
cock.  We  are  proud  that  the  name  of  the  old  order  is  thus  associated  with  the 
illustrious  Hancock,  who,  under  the  skillful  generalship  of  another  great  soldier, 
George  G.  Meade,  made  this  gathering  to-day  a  possibility,  and  the  Union 
which  we  love  an  immortal  thing. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  Civil  Wrar  many  of  you  who  served  under  the  match 
less  leadership  of  McClellan,  on  the  Peninsula,  may  remember  a  circumstance 
connected  with  the  Chickahominy.  Of  the  several  bridges  over  the  treacherous 
river  that  were  built  by  the  almost  incredible  labor  of  the  troops,  through  those 
long  weary  days  and  nights,  but  one  alone  remained  in  the  hour  of  trial  and 
tribulation.  During  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  wher  it  was  necessary  to  send 
troops  immediately  to  the  assistance  of  the  left,  on  which  the  whole  of  John 
ston's  army  had  been  hurled,  one  after  another,  as  the  mad  river  rose,  the 
bridges  were  swept  away.  One  alone  remained,  and  over  this  the  gallant 
Sedgwick.  with  his  division  of  the  Second  Corps,  including  the  Forty-second 
New  Yon;,  passed  to  the  relief  of  the  left  and  turned  what  might  have  been  a 
defeat  into  victory.  This  bridge  which  alone  resisted  the  rushing  waters  of 
the  river,  lashed  as  it  was  by  cables  to  the  trees  on  both  sides,  had  been  con 
structed  by  the  strong  hands  of  the  Forty-second  New  York  Volunteers,  under 
the  gallant  Maj.  Peter  Bowe,  and  was  known  throughout  the  army  as  the 
"Tammany  Bridge!" 

Brothers  of  the  Columbian  Order,  you  are  here  to-day  to  do  honor  to  the 
illustrious  dead.  Let  their  memory  and  example  be  ever  present  in  your 
minds,  to  the  end  that  the  high  principle  of  pure  American  patriotism  which  is 
the  foundation  stone  of  your  organization  and  which  was  the  light  that  guided 
them  to  honorable  and  necessary  death  for  their  country  and  for  liberty,  may 
never  fade  from  your  hearts  nor  be  absent  from  your  councils.  Your  verier- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  321 

able  Society  stands  as  the  connecting  link  between  the  days  that  followed  the 
successful  Revolution  of  our  fathers  and  the  present  hour.  Faith  in  your 
country  and  its  institutions,  fidelity  to  the  American  Union,  even  unto  death, 
are  deeply  imbedded  in  your  Constitution.  May  you  be  for  unending  years  a 
patriotic  bond,  uniting  the  generations  as  they  succeed  each  other  in  loyal  fra 
ternity,  holding  them  as  the  Tammany  Bridge  held  our  broken  army,  united 
against  the  rushing  waters  of  fanaticism  and  all  the  evil  purposes  of  men. 


ADDRESS 
By  GENERAL  ELY  S.  PARKER,  U.  S.  V. 

MR.  CHAIRMAN,  SURVIVORS  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  TAMMANY  REGIMENT,  AND 
COMRADES: 

Twenty-eight  years  ago  last  July,  many  of  you  were  here  under  different  cir 
cumstances,  and  for  a  totally  different  purpose  than  that  which  recalls  you 
here  to-day.  Then  you  came  to  maintain  the  doctrine  of  the  indivisibility  of 
the  Union  of  the  American  States,  whose  organic  law  was  the  liberty  and 
equality  of  all  men.  You  came  to  maintain  the  integrity  of  the  American  flag, 
and  the  right  that  it  alone  should  float  over  this  free  country,  extending  from 
the  icy  regions  of  the  north  to  the  tropical  climes  of  the  south,  and  east  and 
west  from  ocean  to  ocean.  But  then  you  came  here  more  especially  and 
directly  to  repel  an  invasion  that  was  being  made  into  this  State  by  a  hostile 
army,  whose  avowed  object  was  the  dissolution  of  the  Union  you  were  seeking 
to  preserve,  and  to  perpetuate  the  institution  of  slavery  which  your  success 
would  abolish  and  destroy  forever. 

Here,  by  your  courage,  skill,  bravery,  and  heroic  determination,  the  rebel 
schemes  were  defeated,  and  to-day  you  have  returned  to  commemorate  the 
sad  but  important  event  by  the  erection  and  unveiling  of  a  monument  to  the 
honor  of  your  comrades  whose  dust  mingles  with  the  dust  of  this  ground. 

I  can  hardly  comprehend  how  or  why  I  am  honored  with  the  privilege  of 
addressing  you  on  this  occasion,  for  I  can  say  nothing  but  what  has  been 
better  said  before  by  somebody  else,  except  it  is,  that  one  of  the  prominent 
features  of  your  monument  is  the  figure  of  Tammany,  the  Delaware  Indian 
chief,  who  is  said  never  to  have  had  his  equal  as  such.  During  the  Revolu 
tionary  War  his  enthusiastic  admirers  among  the  whites  dubbed  him  a  saint, 
and  he  was  established  under  the  name  of  "  St.  Tammany,  the  Patron  Saint 
of  America." 

The  Delaware  Indians,  of  whom  Tammany  was  chief,  were  once  a  numerous 
and  powerful  tribe  and  were  masters  of,  and  occupied  the  whole  territory  lying 
between  the  Hudson  and  Susquehanna  Rivers.  They  were  a  warlike  race, 
and,  like  all  other  primitive  peoples  who  ever  existed  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
were  at  perpetual  war  with  their  neighbors,  and  were  ever  ready  to  battle  for 
the  lands  they  claimed  and  for  the  graves  of  their  ancestors. 

They  and  all  other  Indians  of  this  continent,  whether  living  in  the  dense 
forests,  on  the  vast  prairie  plains,  or  in  the  fastnesses  of  the  mountains,  enjoyed 

21 


322  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

liberty  in  its  largest  and  most  liberal  sense.  They  loved  their  freedom,  and 
believed  that  when  the  Great  Spirit  made  this  country,  He  made  it  free,  and 
placed  His  red  children  here  to  enjoy  it. 

The  power  of  the  Delawares  was  finally  completely  broken  and  the  people 
subjugated  by  the  more  powerful  and  proud  Iroquois  of  New  York.  I  am  not 
here  to  give  you  a  lecture  on  the  Indian  problem,  the  solution  of  which  agitates 
so  many  great  minds  at  the  present  day,  or  to  enumerate  the  causes  which  have 
led  to  their  extinction,  or  to  excite  your  sympathy  by  rehearsing  the  wrongs, 
cruelties  and  many  violations  of  faith  they  have  endured  and  suffered  at  the 
hands  of  the  pale  face,  although,  as  one  of  them,  I,  naturally  and  emphatically 
sympathize  deeply  with  them. 

The  two  races  have  ever  been  antagonistic,  though  all  writers  agree  that 
the  Indians  always  received  the  new  comers  with  most  open  handed  hospitality. 
At  first  the  Indian  looked  upon  the  pale  face  as  a  God  from  another  world. 
Soon,  however,  the  antagonism  of  the  two  races  revealed  itself,  and  pure  friend 
ship  and  brotherly  confidence  at  once  ceased  to  exist,  and  deadly  hostilities 
commenced,  continuing  ever  since,  almost  without  cessation.  In  the  Indian 
bosom  was  then  planted,  and  growing  fiercer  with  time,  that  implacable  and 
unconquerable  aversion,  amounting  almost  to  hatred,  to  the  civilization  and 
Christianity  of  the  new  comer.  Their  hostility  was  so  persistent  that  it  soon 
became  apparent  that  their  continued  presence  constituted  an  almost  insur 
mountable  barrier  to  the  advancement  of  the  eastern  progressive  and  aggres 
sive  civilization  and  the  successful  planting  and  dissemination  of  that  religion 
which  teaches  "  Peace  on  earth  and  good  will  toward  all  men,"  but  which, 
alas,  was  not  to  extend  to  the  Indian  until  the  lamp  of  National  life  was  nearly 
extinguished. 

To  the  doomed  race  did  the  chief,  Tammany,  belong.  He  was  a  brave 
warrior,  a  mighty  hunter,  and  a  wise  counsellor.  Very  little  indeed  is  known 
of  him ;  yet,  it  is  written  of  him  that  "  he  was  in  the  highest  degreee  endowed 
with  wisdom,  virtue,  prudence,  charity,  affability,  neatness,  hospitality, —  in 
short,  with  every  good  and  noble  qualification  which  a  human  being  may  pos 
sess."  He  was  supposed  to  have  an  intercourse  with  the  great  and  good  Spirit, 
for  he  was  a  stranger  to  everything  that  was  bad. 

It  is  not  known  when,  or  where,  or  how  he  died,  but  presumably  in  one  of 
the  wars  in  which  his  people  were  constantly  engaged.  His  memory  was 
ever  reverenced  among  his  people,  and  his  name  is  still  perpetuated  among 
the  whites  of  the  powerful  Society  in  New  York  which  bears  his  name.  I 
believe  that  if  ever  there  was  a  good  Indian,  he  was  one;  and  that  too  before  he 
was  a  dead  one. 

This  monument,  too,  while  it  transmits  the  memory  of  heroes  who  fell  here, 
also  perpetuates  his  name  in  this  beautiful  monumental  field,  where  was  fought 
perhaps  the  most  earnest  battle  of  the  war,  and  one  which  nearly  decided  the 
fate  of  the  Union.  This  field  and  this  beautiful  valley  was  indeed  the  Ther 
mopylae  of  America,  defended  not  by  the  Spartan  king  and  his  unconquerable 
heroes,  who  never  turned  their  backs  to  the  invading  millions,  but  by  Amer 
ican  patriots,  as  brave,  daring,  and  as  fully  imbued  with  a  healthful,  lofty,  and 
patriotic,  martial  spirit,  as  any  warrior  band  that  ever  marched  to  a  field  of 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  323 

slaughter.  Their  watchwords  were  Union,  Liberty,  and  the  starry  flag  forever; 
and  they  contended  stoutly,  with  masterly  constancy  and  unyielding  tenacity, 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  principles  enunciated  in  the  imperishable  Declara 
tion  of  Independence,  the  god-like  truths  which  their  fathers  had  established 
after  many  years  of  doubt  and  suffering  and  many  hard-fought  battles.  These 
wise  fathers  had  electrified  and  horrified  the  civilized  world  when  they 
announced  their  political  belief,  unheard  of  before,  "  that  all  men  are  created 
equal,  and  endowed  by  their  Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights,  among 
which  were  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness." 

On  this  field  upon  which  we  this  moment  stand,  not  only  were  the  lives  and 
liberty  of  the  immediate  participants  in  danger,  but  the  lives  and  liberty  of 
millions  of  human  beings  not  here;  and  what  was  more  important  than  all,  the 
life  and  liberty  of  the  Nation  was  imperilled  and  at  stake.  Here,  and  yonder, 
and  yonder,  you  stood  like  walls  of  adamant,  and  resisted  the  vast  horde  who 
would  have  done  all  this  wrong.  At  every  point  you  met  them  with  a  firm, 
unshaken  determination  to  do  or  die.  Your  serried  ranks  were  thinned  and 
broken  by  the  savage  minie,  and  the  howling,  shrieking  and  screeching  shot 
and  shell,  whose  infernal  noise  mercifully  deafened  the  cries  of  the  wounded 
and  dying  around  you.  The  earth  moaned  and  groaned  as  it  swallowed  the 
blood  of  the  contestants;  yet  as  if  Mother  Earth  had  here  a  plantation  of  the 
mythical  dragon's  teeth,  other  soldiers  and  comrades  seemed  to  spring  out  of 
their  bosom,  refilling  your  depleted  ranks  and  reforming  your  shattered  lines, 
reviving  your  nearly  exhausted  energies  and  strengthening  your  hopes  for 
final  success.  But  so  oft  repeated  were  these  scenes  of  bloody  carnage  on  that 
eventful  day,  that  it  appeared  at  times  as  though  every  man  must  march  into  the 
jaws  of  Death  before  the  dreadful  contest  could  be  decided.  Physical  endur 
ance  has  its  limits.  Bright  hopes  had  almost  succumbed  to  black  despair, 
liberty  was  about  to  shriek  even  louder  than  when  Kosciusko  fell,  when  the 
Supreme  Arbiter  of  Nations  and  the  God  of  Battles  dropped  his  wand  and  gave 
to  you  the  field  of  battle.  Praise  be  to  Him,  forever. 

Cannot  someone  now  paraphrase  on  some  monument  erected  in  this  valley 
to  the  honor  of  the  men  who  died  here  in  the  cause  of  liberty  and  a  righteous 
government,  the  couplet  on  the  monument  at  the  pass  of  Thermoplyae,  and  say: 

"  Stranger,  the  tiding  to  the  world  tell 
That   here,    obeying    our    country's    command,    we   fell." 

The  Battle  of  Gettysburg  has  been  written  up  by  many  as  the  most  im 
portant  of  the  war.  Perhaps  it  was;  I  cannot  judge.  But  on  the  same  day  that 
you  were  executing  on  this  field  such  wonderful  and  unparalleled  feats  of 
military  strength,  courage  and  dauntless  heroism,  equally  as  important  and 
exciting  transactions  were  being  enacted  in  and  about  the  Gibraltar  of  the  West 
on  the  Mississippi.  There,  the  invincible,  strategic  warrior,  General  Ulysses  S. 
Grant,  was  closing  his  anacondian  coil  on  the  city  of  Vicksburg,  which  resulted 
the  next  day,  the  ever-memorable  Fourth  of  July,  in  the  surrender  of  Lieu 
tenant  General  Pemberton,  with  his  entire  army  and  the  city  of  Vicksburg. 
Then,  as  has  been  beautifully  expressed,  "  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  again 


324  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

flowed  unvexed  by  hostile  forces  from  its  sources  to  its  mouth."  The  would-be 
Confederacy  was  severed,  and  the  field  of  future  operations  circumscribed. 
This  too  was  vitally  important;  yet  neither  Gettysburg  nor  Vicksburg  closed  the 
war.  The  battles  of  Lookout  Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge,  Atlanta,  Nashville, 
the  Wilderness,  Spotsylvania,  Cold  Harbor,  Five  Forks,  Petersburg,  and 
Sherman's  March  to  the  Sea,  were  yet  to  be  executed,  ere  the  field  of  Appo- 
mattox  Court  House  could  loom  up  to  witness  the  closing  act  of  the  gigantic 
conflict.  At  many  of  these  points  you,  my  comrades,  were  actively  engaged. 
Upon  many  of  these  fields  you  have  left  companions  who  had  stood  shoulder  to 
shoulder  with  you  in  battle,  or  shared  with  you  the  dangers  of  the  picket  line, 
tented  and  bivouacked  with  you  in  winter  and  summer,  in  storm  and  sunshine, 
and  who  did  not  return  with  you,  when  the  war  closed,  to  the  homes  they  had 
left.  It  is  to  their  memory  and  honor,  and  to  their  unselfish,  patriotic  virtue, 
that  these  monuments  are  properly  erected,  dedicated,  and  consecrated.  To  the 
survivors  on  any  field  they  are  reminders  of  struggles  endured,  not  for  glory, 
but  for  their  country's  good;  of  the  principles  they  contended  for,  and  of  the 
necessity  burdened  upon  them  of  indoctrinating  into  the  minds  of  their  chil 
dren,  as  they  grow  up  around  them,  and  of  their  neighbors  who  come  from 
other  lands,  the  sacredness  of  the  charge  and  the  inestimable  inheritance  they 
had  left  to  them  at  so  great  a  cost  of  life  and  treasure. 

I  have  a  foolish  belief  that  all  true  and  honest  patriots,  whether  they  labor  in 
the  civil  or  military  service,  who  die  in  their  career,  do  not  cease  their  connection 
with  the  onward  march  of  their  country;  hence,  as  a  matter  of  honor  and  justice 
to  all  such,  I  would  that  every  American  child  could  be  taught  thoroughly  the 
history  of  his  country  from  its  discovery  and  settlement  onward.  They  should 
be  taught  to  comprehend  and  understand,  how  first  the  pioneers  and  early 
settlers  grappled  in  deadly  conflict  with  the  aborigines  of  this  continent,  to 
wrest  from  them  their  country  and  to  make  it  a  land  flowing  with  "  milk  and 
honey,"  and  the  "  wilderness  to  blossom  as  the  rose."  How,  again,  while 
yet  in  the  infancy  of  their  growth  toward  a  national  manhood,  they  battled 
with  their  own  mother  country  for  the  causes  so  eloquently  and  clearly  set 
forth  in  the  immortal  Declaration  of  Independence,  to  which  I  have  already 
referred,  and  for  the  maintenance  of  which  declaration,  they  placed  their 
"  reliance  on  the  protection  of  Divine  Providence,  mutually  pledging  to  each 
other,  their  lives,  fortunes,  and  sacred  honor." 

Passing  from  that  time  through  minor,  though  important  wars,  we  may 
bring  them  to  the  last  struggle  in  which  you,  my  comrades,  were  prominent 
actors  to  preserve  the  unity  of  the  Republic,  maintain  the  sanctity  of  the  Flag, 
save  the  life  of  the  Nation,  and  make  a  truth  of  the  theory  long  since  announced 
to  the  world  that  all  men  are  created  equal;  for  you  freed  4,000,000  of  slaves 
who  were  held  in  bondage  to  their  fellow  men,  and  made  them  citizens,  equal 
with  you. 

Fully  understanding  and  comprehending  all  this,  it  will  be  their  plain  duty 
to  preserve  the  country  and  government  you  helped  to  save,  and  by  their 
wisdom  to  carry  forward  its  aims  by  every  means  consistent  with  justice  and  the 
general  constitution. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  32- 

The  present  commercial,  industrial,  and  agricultural  prosperity  of  the  whole 
country,  the  universal  spread  of  education  and  the  consequent  diffusion  of 
general  knowledge,  the  freedom  of  speech  and  of  the  press,  the  free  and 
untrammeled  discussion  on  all  political  subjects  and  theories  of  government,  the 
unprecedented  development  and  growth  in  every  branch  of  the  arts  and  sciences, 
and  the  unrestrained  and  unrestricted  exercise  allowed  in  all  civil  and  religious 
liberties,  unknown  to  any  other  country  of  the  world,  are  so  many  safe  guar 
anties  that  these  United  States  will  never  again  seek  to  deluge  themselves  in 
fratricidal  blood. 

I  will  now  close  by  repeating,  with  your  permission,  a  few  lines  written  of 
Tammany  a  long  time  ago: 

"  Immortal  Tammany,  of  Indian  race. 
Great  in  the  field  and  foremost  in  the  chase; 
No  puny  saint  was  he,  with  fasting  pale, — 
He  climbed  the  mountain,  and  he  swept  the  vale. 
Rushed  through  the  torrent  with  unequalled  might; 
Your  ancient  saints  would  tremble  at  the  sight ; 
Caught  the  swift  boar  and  swifter  deer  with  ease, 
And  worked  a  thousand  miracles  like  these. 
To  public  views  he  added  private  ends, 
And  loved    his  country  most,  and  next  his  friends; 
With  courage,  long  he  strove  to  ward  the  blow; 
(Courage  we  all  respect  ev'n  in  a  foe.) 
And  when  each  effort  he  in  vain  had  tried, 
Kindled  the  flame  in  which  he  bravely  died. 
To  Tammany,  let  the  full  horn  go  round ; 
His  fame  let  every  honest  tongue  resound ; 
With  him  let  every  generous    patriot  vie, 
To  live  in  freedom  or  with  honor  die." 


ADDRESS  BY  BARTOW  S.  WEEKS,  COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF  OF 
THE  SONS  OF  VETERANS,  U.  S.  A. 

Mr.   CHAIRMAN,  LADIES  AND  GENTLEAIEN: 

After  listening  to  the  eloquence  of  those  who  have  preceded  me  I  realize  more 
fully  than  ever  that  I  am  invited  to  address  you,  not  because  of  any  merit  of 
my  own,  but  as  the  representative  of  that  body  of  60,000  young  men  of  this 
great  Republic,  which  for  the  time  being,  I  have  the  honor  to  command. 

Standing  upon  this  historic  ground  with  the  memorials  of  so  many 
brave  soldiers  on  every  hand,  and  in  the  shadow  of  this  beautiful  tribute  of  our 
own  brave  ones,  I  feel  still  prouder  of  the  Order  of  Sons  of  Veterans,  and  more 
deeply  impressed  with  the  propriety,  aye,  the  necessity,  of  its  existence. 

We  are  organized  to  perpetuate  the  memory  and  history  of  those  to  whom  this 
monument  is  erected,  and  to  assist  the  survivors  of  that  memorable  conflict.  It 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

is  our  proud  privilege  to  point  to  their  achievements  as  the  highest  example  of 
the  best  qualities  of  American  citizenship.  In  the  tattered  folds  of  Old  Glory, 
now  waving  over  a  united  country,  we  read  the  lessons  taught  by  the  struggles 
and  sacrifices,  the  trials  and  battles  of  those  whose  memory  we  are  assembled 
here  to  honor.  We  see  in  that  emblem  the  symbols  of  our  Order, —  the  red 
recalling  to  our  minds  the  patriotic  blood  which  flowed  so  freely  that  the 
country  might  be  saved,  that  bond  of  friendship  dearer  and  closer  than  all 
others;  the  white,  the  purity  of  motive  which  impelled  our  heroes  to  lay  aside  all 
personal  interests  at  their  country's  call  and  which  symbolizes  that  greatest  of 
virtues,  charity;  the  blue,  the  true  blue  of  loyalty  which,  never  wavering,  never 
faltering,  forms  a  firmament  in  which  are  gemmed  the  stars  of  our  Union. 

And  here  to-day  upon  this  field  which  marks  the  beginning  of  the  end  of  that 
great  strife  where  hissing  ball  and  bursting  shell  and  the  heavy  smoke  and 
carnage  of  battle  have  given  place  to  the  unbroken  quiet  of  blue  skies  and 
grassy  swards,  we  feel  that,  as  we  keep  alive  the  fires  upon  our  3,000  altars  by 
the  memory  of  their  noble  deeds,  we  are  inculcating  the  best  principles  of 
citizenship. 

Nor  are  we  unmindful  of  the  debt  we  owe;  for  to  them  is  due  not  only  our 
national  existence,  but  our  national  prosperity. 

Many  years  ago,  so  runs  the  legend,  there  stood  in  silent  grandeur  an  old 
cathedral,  whose  dim  aisles  echoed  with  the  sacred  strains  of  divine  harmonic", 
mingled  with  the  prayers  of  the  penitent,  where  the  still  air  was  filled  with 
mellowed  memories  of  martyrs  flickering  through  the  stained  glass  windows, 
and  from  whose  Heaven  pointing  spire  rang  out  the  silvery  chimes. 

As  time  went  by  a  new  bell  was  to  be  cast  and  swung  up  high  in  the  tower  to 
call  the  faithful  to  their  devotions,  and  to  echo  forth  the  solemn  vespers. 

All  preparation  had  been  made,  the  mould  was  set,  the  fires  were  lighted, 
and  around  the  glowing  furnace  stood  priests  and  people  watching  for  the 
molten  flood  to  be  let  loose. 

All  was  joy  and  glad  anticipation. 

The  flashing  stream  was  loosed  and  sped  swiftly,  smoothly  toward  the 
mould,  when  suddenly  the  joyous  crowd  was  hushed. 

Some  great  impending  trouble  stilled  their  songs  —  a  paralysis  of  fear 
seemed  to  seize  them. 

The  cast  was  not  yet  complete, and  the  supply  of  metal  was  almost  exhausted. 

Something  must  be  done,  or  all  would  be  lost. 

A  moment  of  hesitation,  an  instant  of  indecision,  and  then  moved  by  one 
grand  impulse  all  rushed  to  the  great  crucible.  Women  tore  from  their 
fingers  their  rings,  from  their  arms,  their  bracelets ;  men  brought  from  their 
houses  their  silver  vessels  and  hoarded  stores ;  the  priest  brought  the  plate 
from  the  sanctuary  and  flung  them  into  the  seething,  boiling  caldron,  and 
the  bell  was  saved. 

Far  up  in  the  tower  it  was  hung,  and  no  bell  all  the  world  over  had  a  sweeter 
sound.  The  sacrifices  of  the  faithful  made  its  notes  of  silver  and  of  gold,  and 
its  throbbing  voice  seemed  to  echo  some  divine  melody. 

The  bell  that  proclaimed  liberty  in  Philadelphia  has  been  replaced  by  this 
new  casting;  and  now  above  the  struggle  and  the  strife,  the  tumult  and  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  327 

turmoil,  we  hear  the  silvery  notes  of  peace,  the  golden  melody  of  prosperity; 
and  let  us  not  forget  that  it  owes  the  richness  of  its  tone  to  the  purity  of  purpose 
and  the  noble  self-sacrifice  of  those  whose  memory  we  are  gathered  here  to 
honor. 

No  words  can  add  to  their  glory,  no  work  of  man  can  render  more  sacred 
this  hallowed  ground  or  more  enduring  their  fame;  but  we  erect  to-day  this 
memorial  in  grateful  appreciation  of  their  services. 

Their  work  is  done  —  the  glorious  results  are  ours.  Freedom's  new  birth 
baptized  in  the  life  blood  of  the  Nation  and  blessed  by  the  approval  of  the 
Almighty  is  our  priceless  heritage. 

Let  us  then  in  the  dedication  of  this  monument  dedicate  ourselves  to  that 
sacred  trust,  the  preservation  of  their  memory,  and  the  perpetuation  of  the 
Union  which  they  died  to  save. 


PRESENTATION  REMARKS 
By  MAJ.  GEN.  D.  E.  SICKLES,  U.  S.  A. 

COLONEL  BUEHLER  AND  GENTLEMEN  OF  THE  BATTLEFIELD  ASSOCIATION: 

In  behalf  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  of  the  Tammany  Society,  which  has 
contributed  a  very  large  addition  to  the  State  appropriation  for  the  erection  of 
this  monument  to  the  regiment  it  raised  for  the  support  of  the  Government  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  and  in  the  name  of  the  survivors  of  the  Forty- 
second  New  York  Infantry  who  are  present  here  to-day,  I  have  the  honor  to 
place  this  memorial  in  the  custody  and  care  of  your  Association.  I  cannot  fitly 
perform  this  duty  without  giving  expression  to  the  surprise  and  indignation  felt 
by  the  veterans  of  this  famous  battalion  when  they  see  their  monument  standing 
on  a  rear  line,  from  which  they  advanced  and  repulsed  the  approaching  enemy, 
while  troops  that  refused  to  advance  in  obedience  to  the  repeated  orders  of  their 
brigade  commander,  are  permitted  to  place  their  monument  on  a  line  much  far 
ther  to  the  front  than  they  ventured  to  march,  until  after  the  victory  was  won.  I 
know  that  the  trustees  of  the  Battlefield  Association  are  in  no  sense  responsible 
for  this  outrage  upon  history.  You,  sir,  and  all  your  associates,  resisted  this 
proceeding  by  all  the  means  in  your  power;  and  it  was  not  until  you  were  con 
strained  by  your  respect  for  a  judicial  decree  that  you  desisted  from  your 
opposition  to  this  injustice.  My  duty  is  discharged  when  I  protest,  as  I  do 
solemnly  protest,  in  the  name  of  history,  and  truth,  and  equity,  against  a  judg 
ment  that  awards  honors  to  a  battalion  that  failed  to  earn  them  on  this  field, 
and  denies  to  the  Forty-second  New  York  Infantry  the  recognition  it  received 
from  its  brigade,  division,  and  corps  commanders. 


o28  NEW  YOKK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

ACCEPTANCE  OF  MONUMENT. 
By  HON.  EDWARD  McPnERSON. 

MR.  PRESIDENT,  AND  LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

You  will  all  understand  that  my  duty  on  this  occasion  is  merely  formal. 
It  is  to  accept  on  behalf  of  the  Gettysburg  Battlefield  Memorial  Association  the 
custody  of  this  beautiful  monument.  Our  Association  dates  from  the  clost 
of  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg.  It  was  then  conceived,  and  the  next  year  it  came 
into  being.  From  that  day  to  this,  its  directorship  has  been  assiduously  devoted 
to  the  gathering  of  the  multitudinous  facts  which  have  been  required  for  the 
accurate  marking  of  these  extensive  lines  of  battle.  This  work  has  been  pressed 
with  ardor  and  industry,  with  the  result  that  the  field  of  Gettysburg  has  been 
marked  to  an  extent  and  with  an  accuracy  surpassing  that  of  any  other  of  the 
great  battlefields  of  the  world. 

As  you  will  observe,  it  is  easy  for  the  visitor  now  to  go  to  the  spot  occupied 
by  every  regiment,  battery  or  command,  and  to  see  the  precise  field  lines  on 
which  it  moved.  This  now  all  seems  simple,  but  the  labor  of  preparation  and 
of  execution  has  been  enormous.  In  the  pursuit  of  these  duties  the  Associa 
tion  has  had  but  one  thought  —  fidelity  to  truth.  It  has  sought  to  ascertain 
the  facts,  and  has  then  fearlessly  stood  by  them.  It  is  to  the  credit  of  the 
Association  that  its  plans  have  been  carried  out  with  absolute  impartiality, 
and  that  the  field,  as  a  whole,  has  been  marked  upon  a  simple,  clear,  distinct 
and  comprehensive  plan.  Every  regiment  has  its  monument  upon  the  line  of 
battle  occupied  by  it,  with  the  single  exception  alluded  to  by  General  Sickles  — 
that  of  the  Seventy-second  Pennsylvania  Infantry.  According  to  the  view  of 
the  Association,  that  monument  is  not  properly  located,  because  it  is  not  upon 
the  line  of  battle  of  the  regiment,  but  is  upon  an  advanced  position  occupied 
by  it.  As  all  other  regiments  were  restricted,  in  placing  their  monuments,  to 
positions  on  their  lines  of  battle,  the  decision  which  permitted  this  regiment 
to  advance  its  monument  from  its  battle-line  to  an  advanced  position  tem 
porarily  occupied  by  it  with  other  regiments,  operates  as  a  discrimination  in 
favor  of  the  one  and  against  the  other.  As  such  discrimination  between  mer 
itorious  comrades  is  unnatural,  it  is  to  be  deeply  regretted;  and,  with  the  sub 
duing  influence  of  time,  its  correction  may  reasonably  be  expected  to  be  made 
with  the  consent  of  the  parties  themselves.  The  field  affords  glory  enough  for 
all  who  were  actively  engaged  upon  it;  and  every  regiment  can  afford  to  stand 
and  ought  to  be  willing  to  stand  by  a  just  rule  equally  applied  to  all. 

What  has  been  said  by  General  Sickles  of  the  history  of  the  Society  which 
the  Forty-second  New  York  Regiment  especially  represents,  is  noteworthy. 
Its  identification  with  partisan  affairs  for  a  period  of  a  century  is  an  interesting 
and  significant  fact  in  this  country  of  change  and  unrest,  where  it  is  much  the 
rule  that  the  institutions  of  to-day  rest  upon  the  foundations  of  the  overthrown 
institutions  of  yesterday.  It  is  certainly  something  in  the  life  of  a  man  to  have 
membership  in  a  society  which  dates  back  to  the  beginnings  of  our  Government, 
and  which  has  had  a  virile  existence  during  those  momentous  years.  Whatever 
may  be  said  of  the  policies  of  the  Society  during  the  century  of  its  life,  com- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  329 

ing  generations,  it  appears  to  me,  will  certainly  regard  as  the  greatest  achieve 
ment  of  the  Tammany  Society,  the  alacrity  with  which,  when  the  issue  was 
forced  upon  it,  it  sprang  in  1861  to  the  side  of  Abraham  Lincoln  in  mainte 
nance  of  our  threatened  Union,  and  in  defence  of  a  common  country.  That 
service  was  a  commanding  one;  for  the  issue  then  tendered  by  the  Confederate 
Government  was  the  weightiest  ever  addressed  to  the  American  people,  and 
most  heroically  was  it  met.  Upon  this  field  that  issue  was  practically  decided 
in  favor  of  progressive  liberty,  protected  by  an  indissoluble  Union  of  inde- 
.stTuciible  States.  Here,  amid  roar  and  smoke  and  blood,  the  American  Union 
received  a  new  baptism  and  a  new  consecration. 

It  remains  for  me  to  simply  say  that  the  Association,  which  I  have  the  honor 
'.o  represent,  will  care  for  and  protect  from  harm,  while  it  has  authority  and 
existence,  this  tasteful  and  elegant  memorial  of  the  glory  and  valor  of  the 
Forty-second  Regiment  of  New  York. 


330 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 

43D  NEW  YORK  INFANTRY, 
SD  BRIG.  2D  DIV.  GTH  CORPS. 


ARRIVED  ON  FIELD  4  P.  M.,  JULY  2,  1863. 

HELD  THIS  POSITION  FROM  THE  MORNING 

OF  JULY  3D  UNTIL  CLOSE  OF  BATTLE. 

(Reverse.) 

THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YORK  ERECTED  THIS  MONUMENT  IN  HONOR 
OF  THE  FORTY-THIRD  REG'T  NEW  YORK  INFANTRY.  ORGANIZED 
AT  ALBANY,  N.  Y.  MUSTERED  INTO  THE  U.  S.  SERVICE  SEPT. 
22,  1861.  SERVED  WITH  THE  6TH  CORPS,  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 
THROUGHOUT  THE  WAR.  MUSTERED  OUT  JUNE  2J,  1865.  BORE 
A  PART  IN  THE  ENGAGEMENTS  OF  YoRKTOWN,  WlLLIAMSBURG, 
THE  SEVEN  DAYS'  BATTLE,  CRAMPTON'S  PASS,  ANTIETAM, 
FREDERICKSBURG,  MARYE'S  HEIGHTS,  SALEM  HEIGHTS,  GETTYS 
BURG,  RAPPAHANNOCK  STATION,  MINE  RUN,  WILDERNESS, 
SPOTSYLVANIA,  NORTH  ANNA,  TOTOPOTOMOY,  COLD  HARBOR, 
PETERSBURG,  1864,  FORT  STEVENS,  WINCHESTER,  FISHER'S  HILL, 
CEDAR  CREEK,  PETERSBURG,  1865,  SAILOR'S  CREEK,  APPOMAT- 
TOX  COURT  HOUSE. 


JlilY  3o  U&Til  CLGSE-D?  BATTiL 


.1.  B.  I, YON   PRINT. 


43D    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
On  Wolf  Hill,  the  extreme  right  of  the  Union  line. 


F.   J.  SKVKREXCE,    PHOTO. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  331 

DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT 
43o  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

September  17,  1889. 

ADDRESS  OF  CAPT.  WILLIAM  RUSSELL. 
COMRADES: 

Six  and  twenty  years  have  come  and  gone  since  last  we  stood  together  on 
this  same  spot  at  Gettysburg.  How  changed  is  everything!  Then,  in  the 
midst  of  war  and  the  Nation's  deadly  peril;  now,  surrounded  by  peace  and  the 
Nation's  wonderful  prosperity.  The  youth  and  enthusiasm  we  owned  that  day 
are  pretty  well  gone,  my  friends,  for  we  have  sobered  down  into  middle  age  and 
are  beginning  now  to  wear  the  gray.  But  the  loving  memory  of  the  past  remains 
with  us,  and  has  brought  us  together  once  again  to  dedicate  by  simple  services 
this  handsome  monument  erected  to  mark  the  spot  where  the  old  Forty-third 
stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  in  line  of  battle  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  A  brief 
review  of  our  history  through  those  four  years  will  not  prove  uninteresting, 
I  am  sure. 

The  Forty-third  New  York  Regiment  was  organized  in  the  City  of  Albany, 
and  consisted  of  seven  companies  from  that  city  and  three  from  the  City  of  New 
York.  On  the  22d  of  September,  1861,  they  were  called  to  the  front,  and  under 
the  leadership  of  their  first  gallant  colonel,  Francis  L.  Vinton,  were  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  for  "  three  years,  or  during  the  war,"  being 
almost  the  first  of  the  three-year  regiments.  They  were  assigned  to  Hancock's 
Brigade,  then  stationed  at  Lewinsville,  Virginia,  and  spent  the  winter  (with  the 
rest  of  the  young  and  growing  army)  in  learning  the  details  of  a  soldier's  duties. 

Early  in  the  following  spring  the  regiment  advanced  with  McClellan's  army 
upon  the  Quaker  guns  of  Manassas,  its  first  real  taste  of  an  active  soldier's  life. 
Then  on  to  our  never-to-be-forgotten  experiences  upon  the  Peninsula  —  first, 
on  the  1 6th  of  April  to  Lee's  Mills,  around  whose  fatal  swamps  we  left  many  of 
our  beloved  comrades,  brave  fellows,  who  died  fighting  —  not  an  open,  living 
foe,  but  the  secret  deadly  malaria.  On  from  there,  through  Yorktown,  into  the 
fierce  fight  at  Williamsburg,  with  the  gallant  Hancock;  into  the  morasses  of 
the  Chickahominy;  up  to  the  hot  fight  at  Golding's  Farm,  and  our  first  tussle 
with  Gordon's  famous  Georgians;  and  then  those  seven  days  and  nights  of 
fighting  and  retreating  that  brought  us,  torn  by  battle  and  worn  by  hardships, 
through  Savage  Station,  White  Oak  Swamp,  and  Malvern  Hill,  into  a  haven  of 
rest  at  Harrison's  Landing  on  the  James.  Here  our  shattered  ranks  were  made 
compact  again  by  consolidation,  and  we  took  our  march  along  the  Peninsula 
once  more  to  Fortress  Monroe,  thence  by  transport  to  Alexandria  and  out  to 
the  fatal  field  of  Second  Bull  Run,  to  the  support  of  the  unfortunate  and 
struggling  army  of  General  Pope.  Back  from  there  to  the  defences  of  Wash 
ington,  and  then  into  fair  Maryland,  whose  friendly  citizens  greeted  us  with 
cheering  words  and  well-cooked  food,  and  bade  us  "  God  speed  "  as  we  tramped 
cheerily  to  check  the  advance  of  the  north-bound  rebs.  into  the  battles  at  South 
Mountain  and  Crampton's  Pass;  and  then,  on  this  day  twenty-seven  years  a«-o, 


33-' 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


the  old  Forty-third  did  its  full  share  toward  the  glorious  and  hard  won  victory 
at  Antietam.  On  that  field  our  brave  brigadier,  Hancock,  won  his  second 
star, —  and  well  deserved  it  too.  A  few  days  later  our  thinned  ranks  were 
swelled  by  the  arrival  of  five  full  companies  from  Albany,  and  we  became,  again, 
in  fact  as  well  as  in  name,  a  regiment. 

The  retreating  army  of  Lee  we  followed  back  into  "  old  Virginny,"  and  at 
New  Baltimore  we  bade  farewell  to  our  first  commanding  general  "  Little  Mac," 
and  to  our  dashing  Colonel  Vinton.  Then  on  with  our  new  commander,  Burn- 
side,  to  the  Rappahannock  and  to  Fredericksburg,  with  its  desperate  fighting 
and  its  wearisome  mud  marches.  Then  into  winter  quarters  near  Falmouth, 
during  which  period  "  Fighting  Joe  Hooker "  took  Burnside's  place,  and 
"'  Uncle  "  John  Sedgwick  came  to  us  as  a  corps  commander.  Here,  also,  we 
had  allotted  to  us  our  distinctive  corps  badge,  the  simple  Greek  cross.  That 
grand  old  emblem  —  though  plain,  unornamental  and  severe  in  pattern  to  our 
eyes  at  first  —  took  new  beauty  as  the  days  rolled  on,  and  each  new  peril  passed 
rehallowed  it  to  us.  We  love  it  still,  I  think,  and  should  be  proud,  my  comrades, 
to  remember  that  we  bore  it  to  the  end  with  honor. 

At  Falmouth,  we  became  part  of  the  famous  "  Light  Division,"  and  with 
Sedgwick  and  the  good  Sixth  Corps  stormed  and  carried  Marye's  Heights, 
capturing  guns  and  prisoners,  but  losing  in  the  action  200  men  and  n  com 
missioned  officers.  Then  came  Lee's  second  attempt  to  invade  the  North,  and 
our  long  marches  in  pursuit,  that  last  most  wonderful  march  of  all,  from  Man 
chester  up  to  this  historic  field,  o'er-topping  all  that  the  Forty-third  and  Sixth 
Corps  had  ever  done.  Thirty-six  solid  miles  were  covered  between  midnight 
and  the  early  afternoon  with  scarce  a  halt,  thirty-six  miles  under  the  hottest  of 
hot  suns  and  over  the  dustiest  of  dusty  roads;  into  position  here,  and  holding 
our  position  until  the  beaten  Lee  was  forced  to  turn  in  his  tracks  again  and 
seek  more  southern  climes.  In  yonder  woods  that  brave  young  officer,  Gil- 
fillan,  fell,  sword  in  hand  and  face  to  the  foe. 

Closest  to  the  pursuit  of  ,the  retreating  rebs  \vas  our  brigade, —  on  across 
Berlin  Ford,  through  the  Blue  Ridge  until  the  enemy  were  hunted  out  of 
sight,  and  we  settled  down  at  Sulphur  Springs  near  Warrenton.  Then  in  the 
early  November,  we  rushed  into  the  thick  of  the  brilliant  victory  at  Rappahan 
nock,  and  from  there  to  camp  at  Brandy  Station.  (Don't  let  us  mention  "  Mine 
Run,"  comrades;  the  simple  recollection  of  that  well-avoided  spot  is  dreadful 
enough.)  At  Brandy  Station  came  the  general  order  giving  the  boys  the 
chance  to  re-enlist,  and  nobly  did  the  Forty-third  respond,  the  veterans  taking 
their  well-earned  furlough.  Then,  on  May  4,  1864,  under  General  Grant,  began 
the  greatest  campaign  of  the  war  —  forward  into  the  Wilderness  where  our  old 
regiment  received  its  most  stunning  blow,  but  where  it  made  its  bravest  fight  — 
where  we  lost  our  entire  staff,  almost  a  score  of  our  line  officers,  nigh  upon  300 
of  our  enlisted  men,  our  regimental  colors  and  color  guard  entire  —  every 
thing  almost  except  our  reputation;  where  we  made  a  stand,  in  fact,  that  needed 
but  daylight  and  the  historian  to  have  become  world  famous.  From  there  to 
Spotsylvania  (where  the  loved  and  lamented  Sedgwick  fell),  into  the  fierce 
charge  there;  then  a  part  of  that  literal  hell  at  the  "  bloody  angle;  "  on  to  the 
North  Anna  and  Totopotomoy;  through  the  terrible  scenes  at  Cold  Harbor,  and 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  333 

finally  crossing  the  James  River  to  face  the  intrenched  rebs  in  the  front  of 
Petersburg. 

Soon  came  the  call  for  help  from  Washington,  and  the  wearers  of  the  Greek 
cross  were  hurried  to  the  rescue.  A  sharp  fight  and  a  complete  victory  at  Fort 
Stevens;  then  we  were  off  to  •  chase  Jubal  Early  through  the  Valley  of  the 
Shenandoah.  Do  you  remember  those  grand  clays  there?  How  thoroughly 
we  thrashed  them  at  Winchester  and  Fisher's  Hill  (under  that  fighter  among 
fighters,  Phil.  Sheridan),  and  how  we  wiped  out  old  Jubal  entirely  at  Cedar 
Creek?  From  there,  back  we  went  to  the  front  line  at  Petersburg,  where  we 
remained  with  promiscuous  fighting  and  endless  picketing  until  the  morning  of 
April  2,  1865,  when  the  old  Forty-third  fitly  rounded  out  its  glorious  career  by 
its  prominent  work  in  forcing  the  enemy's  lines,  and  breaking  at  last  the  tough 
and  hitherto  unbreakable  backbone  of  the  Confederacy.  Our  brave  battalion 
had  suffered  much  and  fought  its  best  all  through  the  weary  years.  Privation, 
wounds,  captivity,  and  death  had  fallen  to  its  lot;  but  our  reward  had  come, 
and  we  who  stood  in  the  ranks  through  those  early  days  of  April,  1865,  can 
never  forget  the  fullness  of  the  joy  that  poured  up  from  our  hearts  and  burst 
forth  in  glad  hurrahs  from  our  lips  as  the  full  realization  came  of  a  final  victory. 

After  that,  little  needs  to  be  told.  There  came  hard  marches  in  pursuit;  then 
Sailor's  Creek  where  the  Sixth  Corps  fired  its  last  gun;  then  to  Danville;  the 
final  march  back  to  Washington,  that  farewell  tramp  along  Virginia's  familiar 
roads;  the  grand  review  before  disbandment;  and  our  final  muster  out  on  the 
2/th  of  June,  1865,  bringing  us  who  had  survived  the  perils  of  that  long  conflict 
back  again  to  home  and  citizenship. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  BY  MAJ.  JOHN  L.  NEWMAN. 

At  the  Battle*  of  Gettysburg  the  Forty-third  New  York  Infantry,  Neil's 
Brigade,  Sixth  Corps,  occupied  an  important  position  on  the  extreme  right  of 
the  Union  line,  at  Wolf's  Hill.  In  company  with  the  Sixth  Corps  the  regiment 
marched  from  Manchester,  Md.,  on  the  night  of  July  ist,  and  arrived  on  the  field 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  2d,  having  made  a  forced  march  of  36  miles.  For 
this  unparalleled  effort  the  Sixth  Corps  received  its  reward;  for  by  its  arrival 
the  Fifth  Corps,  which  had  been  held  in  reserve,  was  enabled  to  go  to  the 
relief  of  the  Third  Corps  on  the  left,  where  the  latter  had  been  fighting  at  fearful 
odds  with  Longstreet's  forces;  and,  soon,  the  Sixth  Corps  was  also  ordered  to 
that  part  of  the  field  to  support  the  wavering  Union  line.  But  Neil's  Brigade 
was  sent  to  the  right  to  reinforce  General  Slocum  and  the  Twelfth  Corps. 

An  attack  was  made  by  Slocum  on  the  morning  of  the  3d  for  the  purpose 
of  retaking  the  rifle  pits  which  Johnson's  Confederate  Division  had  captured 
on  the  previous  evening.  The  rebels  fought  furiously  to  retain  them,  for  they 
hoped  to  turn  General  Meade's  right  flank  and  rout  his  army.  But  Neil's 
Brigade,  passing  to  the  right  of  the  Union  line,  attacked  Johnson's  left,  who, 
finding  his  troops  thus  outflanked,  vacated  the  breastworks  and  withdrew 
to  the  farther  side  of  Rock  Creek.  Ewell's  Corps  was  thus  prevented  from 


334  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

working  around  the  right  of  the  Union  line  and  gaining  the  Baltimore  Pike, 
where  General  Meade  had  parked  his  wagon  trains  and  ammunition  and 
located  his  hospitals.  If  Johnson  had  succeeded,  the  result  would  have 
been  most  disastrous. 

The  loss  of  the  Forty-third  at  Gettysburg  was  small  as  compared  with  most 
battles  in  which  it  took  part  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  particularly  in 
comparison  with  Second  Fredericksburg,  where  a  few  weeks  before  it  had  come 
out  of  the  fight  with  a  loss  of  19  killed,  62  wounded,  and  over  100  missing.  But 
its  loss  at  Gettysburg  was  keenly  felt  when  Captain  Gilfillan  fell  in  the  charge  of 
July  3d  at  Wolf's  Hill.  A  gallant  officer,  he  met  death  bravely,  and  "  fell  with 
his  face  to  the  foe."  He  had  been  mentioned  in  general  orders  for  gallantry 
at  Fredericksburg  only  a  short  time  before. 

Of  the  ten  companies  in  the  Forty-third,  five  companies  were  recruited  at 
Albany;  one  in  Otsego  County;  one  in  Montgomery  County;  one  in  Washing 
ton  County;  and  two  in  New  York  City.  The  regiment,  under  command  of 
Col.  Francis  L.  Vinton,  left  Albany  September  17,  1861,  and  arrived  in  Wash 
ington  on  the  22d,  where  it  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  and 
assigned  to  Hancock's  Brigade.  Before  starting  on  the  Peninsular  Campaign, 
the  regiment  exchanged  its  smooth  bore  muskets  for  Austrian  rifles. 

The  first  engagement  in  which  the  Forty-third  participated  was  at  Lee's 
Mills,  near  Yorktown,  Va.,  in  which  the  first  man  killed  in  the  regiment  met  his 
fate,  on  the  28th  of  April,  1862.  On  June  2/th  occurred  the  fight  at  Garnett's 
Hill  where  the  regiment  lost  2  killed,  40  wounded,  and  29  missing.  In  this 
affair  the  Forty-third  held  an  important  position  on  the  extreme  right  of  the 
line. 

At  Harrison's  Landing,  in  July,  1862,  the  regiment  was  consolidated  into 
five  companies,  and  a  detail  was  sent  home  to  Albany  to  recruit  five  new  com 
panies  if  possible.  This  was  speedily  effected,  and  in  September  five  new  com 
panies,  composed  of  superior  material,  marched  down  State  Street  in  Albany, 
on  their  way  to  the  front,  almost  equaling  in  numbers  the  original  regiment. 
They  carried  a  beautiful  silk  flag,  a  present  from  the  ladies  of  Albany,  to  replace 
the  tattered  but  honored  colors  which  the  regiment  had  carried  up  to  that  time. 

These  five  new  companies,  after  a  short  stay  in  a  Camp  of  Instruction  at 
Alexandria,  Va.,  joined  the  Forty-third  immediately  after  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  September  17,  1862.  The  regiment,  now  encamped  at  Hagerstown, 
Md.,  presented  a  finer  appearance  than  ever  before  in  its  existence.  Its  ranks 
were  well  filled  with  excellent  material.  Albany  justly  and  proudly  claims 
the  Forty-third  as  an  Albany  regiment,  ten  full  companies  having  been  raised 
there  to  complete  its  organization. 

Soon  after  the  Battle  of  Fredericksburg,  in  which  the  regiment  was  engaged, 
the  famous  "  Light  Division  "  was  formed  to  do  skirmishing,  outpost  duty, 
forced  marching,  and  similar  duty  in  the  Sixth  Corps.  The  regiments  chosen 
for  this  purpose  were  the  Thirty-first  New  York,  Sixty-first  Pennsylvania,  Fifth 
Wisconsin,  Sixth  Maine,  and  Forty-third  New  York.  The  command  was 
intrusted  to  Gen.  Calvin  E.  Pratt,  former  colonel  of  the  Thirty-first  New  York. 
The  "  Light  Division  "  went  into  camp  at  Belle  Plain,  Ya.,  for  the  winter, 
where  it  underwent  a  thorough  drill  to  fit  and  prepare  it  for  its  peculiar  duties. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  335 

On  May  3,  1863,  the  Light  Division  was  assigned  the  task  of  storming 
Marye's  Heights,  a  line  of  hills  south  of  and  near  the  City  of  Fredericksburg, 
Va.  The  assaulting  column  was  led  by  the  Sixty-first  Pennsylvania  and  Forty- 
third  New  York,  the  latter  being  the  first  to  plant  its  colors  on  the  enemy's 
works.  The  assault  was  successful,  the  troops  capturing  the  entire  line  of  in- 
trenchments,  together  with  some  guns  belonging  to  the  Washington  Artillery. 
The  Forty-third  lost  about  65  men  in  this  attack,  including  Captain  Knicker 
bocker  and  Lieutenant  Koontz.  Pushing  on  to  Salem  Church,  on  the  road  to 
Chancellorsville,  where  the  main  army  was  fighting,  the  Sixth  Corps  en 
countered  there  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy.  Unable  to  dislodge  them,  Sedg- 
wick  withdrew  his  corps  across  the  river  at  Banks'  Ford.  Through  the  negli 
gence  of  a  staff  officer,  the  Forty-third  was  not  notified  of  the  movement, 
and  extricated  itself  from  its  perilous  position  with  difficulty,  losing  a  large 
number  of  prisoners  in  the  movement.  Capt.  Douglas  Lodge  was  killed  here 
while  on  the  skirmish  line.  General  Sedgwick  complimented  the  regiment  for 
the  gallantry  and  soldierly  qualities  displayed  in  rejoining  the  corps  under  such 
trying  circumstances.  Losses  at  Fredericksburg  and  at  Banks'  Ford,  were, 

20  killed,  62  wounded,  123  missing. 

The  Llight  Division  was  disbanded  soon  after,  and  the  Forty-third  was 
assigned  to  General  Neil's  Brigade,  on  the  special  application  of  that  officer. 
With  this  command  it  participated  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and,  on  Novem 
ber  7,  1863,  in  the  brilliant  affair  at  Rappahannock  Station  where  the  Sixth 
Corps  added  fresh  laurels  to  the  many  already  won.  In  this  engagement  the 
regiment  lost  10  men,  killed  and  wounded,  including  Sergeant  Moorhead  and 
Christopher,  two  worthy  and  efficient  officers. 

The  Forty-third  shared  in  the  Mine  Run  campaign,  after  which  it  went  into 
winter  quarters  at  Brandy  Station,  Va.  While  there  four  companies  re- 
enlisted,  December  24,  1863,  and  received  the  usual  furlough  of  thirty  days. 

In  the  Battle  of  the  Wilderness,  May  5  and  6,  1864,  Getty's  Division  of  the 
Sixth  Corps,  to  which  the  regiment  belonged,  held  the  right  of  the  line.  In 
the  terrific  flank  attack  made  by  Gordon's  Georgians  the  right  was  driven  back 
and  doubled  up,  throwing  it  into  great  confusion.  In  the  melee  that  ensued, 
Color  Sergeant  Hackett  and  the  color  guard  were  captured  and  taken  to 
Andersonville  Prison.  Some  of  Hackett's  fellow  prisoners  maintain  that  he 
never  surrendered  the  colors  to  the  enemy,  but  that  he  wore  them  concealed 
about  his  person,  and  that  the  flag  was  thus  buried  with  him  when  he  died  in 
the  prison  pen.  Corporal  Davis  who  carried  one  of  the  guidons  when  he  was 
captured,  preserved  it  in  the  same  way,  and  before  his  death  sent  it  to  Albany 
by  a  fellow  prisoner  who  was  paroled.  It  was  in  this  battle  that  Colonel  Wil 
son,  Major  Fryer,  Captain  Wallace, and  Lieutenant  Bailey  were  killed.  Losses, 

21  killed,  106  wounded. 

Col.  B.  F.  Baker,  of  the  Forty-third,  in  an  address  at  the  reunion  of  the  regi 
ment,  in  speaking  of  Colonel  Wilson  and  Major  Fryer  said  that  they  were  men 
of  exceptionally  noble  character.  Each  one  was  an  only  son  of  a  widowed 
mother,  and  each  entered  the  service  of  his  country  at  the  first  call  for  troops. 
They  served  honorably,  without  a  blemish  on  their  record  from  the  beginning 
of  the  war  to  the  moment  of  their  death,  honored,  beloved  and  admired  through 
out  the  whole  corps.  They  resembled  each  other  strongly  in  personal  appear- 


036  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

ance.  Both  were  tall  and  commanding  in  stature ;  both  were  gentle  in  manner, 
modest,  unobtrusive,  and  conscientious  gentlemen.-  They  loved  one  another 
like  Damon  and  Pythias,  and  whenever  release  from  the  care  and  duties  of 
their  position  made  it  possible,  they  sought  each  other's  society.  They  tented 
together,  and  almost  every  interest  was  held  in  common.  In  their  lives  they 
were  lovely,  and  in  their  deaths  they  were  not  divided. 

At  Spotsylvania  and  Cold  Harbor,  losses  were,  6  killed  and  44  wounded. 

At  the  battle  of  Fort  Stevens,  July  12,  1864,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Visscher 
fell  while  leading  an  assault  on  that  memorable  field,  within  sight  of  the  dome 
of  the  Capitol,  while  the  men  of  his  gallant  little  regiment,  fighting  under  the 
eye  of  President  Lincoln  and  inspired  by  his  presence,  won  fresh  honors  and 
renown.  Losses,  7  killed,  29  wounded. 

While  passing  to  Washington  on  its  way  to  Fort  Stevens,  the  regiment  re 
ceived  a  beautiful  silk  flag  which  was  sent  to  them  as  a  present  from  the  Albany 
Burgess  Corps.  The  flag  was  carried  by  the  regiment  during  the  rest  of  the 
war,  and  was  brought  home  in  honor  to  Albany. 

In  the  spring  Campaign  of  1864,  the  Forty-third  became  so  depleted  by 
casualties  in  battle  and  loss  from  disease,  that  it  only  numbered  4  officers  and 
76  men  when  the  fighting  ended  at  Spotsylvania.  Some  recruits  were  received 
while  in  front  of  Petersburg,  prior  to  starting  for  the  campaign  in  the  Shenan- 
doah  Valley.  But  the  regiment  was  still  small  in  numbers,  and  when  the 
officers  and  men,  who  had  not  re-enlisted,  left  for  home  September  21,  1864,  the 
Forty-third  was  consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  five  companies,  under  the 
command  of  Lieut.  Col.  Charles  A.  Milliken. 

The  battalion  was  actively  engaged  in  all  of  Sheridan's  battles  in  the  Valley, 
suffering  a  severe  percentage  of  loss  in  the  hard  fighting  which  fell  to  its  lot 
in  that  bloody  campaign.  On  the  field  of  Cedar  Creek  the  men,  acting  under 
orders,  succeeded  in  picking  up  enough  good  Springfield  rifles  to  arm  the  en 
tire  battalion,  after  which  their  old  Austrian  rifles  were  turned  over  to  the 
Ordnance  Department. 

The  regiment  was  mentioned  on  many  occasions  in  general  and  special 
orders,  while  the  rank  and  file,  in  many  instances,  were  honored  by  the  State 
and  by  Congress,  with  brevet  commissions  for  service  in  the  field.  At  Fred- 
ericksburg,  May  3,  1863,  the  men  captured  three  cannon  from  the  famous 
Washington  Artillery  of  New  Orleans.  At  Spotsylvania  Capt.  Daniel  Burhans 
captured  two  rebel  flags,  and  when  last  seen  was  cheering  on  his  men  to  the 
second  line  of  works  where  he  fell. 

Anthony  Knifer,  of  Company  E,  captured  the  colors  of  the  Forty-fourth 
Georgia  Infantry,  May  10,  1864,  at  Spotsylvania,  and  delivered  them  to  Colonel 
Bidwell,  the  brigade  commander.  Private  James  Connors  received  a  personal 
letter  from  General  Sheridan  and  a  Medal  of  Honor  from  the  Secretary  of  War 
for  the  capture  of  a  Confederate  flag  in  the  fight  at  Fisher's  Hill,  Va.,  Septem 
ber  22,  1864.  Sergeant  Frank  Shubert  captured  two  flags  in  the  final  assault  on 
Petersburg,  April  2,  1865,  for  which  he  received  a  Medal  of  Honor  from  Con 
gress.  The  regiment  captured  a  flag  at  Sailor's  Creek,  Va.,  April  6,  1865,  the 
staff  of  which  they  used  for  their  own  flag,  their  own  staff  having  been  shattered 
by  a,  shot  at  Petersburg,  while  in  the  hands  of  the  color  bearers.  The  flag  of 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  337 

the  Forty-third  on  the  rebel  staff  is  now  in  the  Bureau  of  Military  Records 
at  Albany. 

In  General  Orders,  No.  53,  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  May  19, 
1863,  the  following  officers  and  enlisted  men  were  especially  mentioned  for 
gallantry  and  distinguished  conduct  in  the  battles  of  Marye's  Heights  and 
Salem  Church : 

Lieut.  Col.  John  Wilson,  Maj.  John  Fryer, 

Adj.  C.  A.  Milliken,  Capt.  John  L.  Newman, 

Lieut.  W.  H.  Gilfillan,  Sergt.  Maj.  E.  B.  Goodyear, 

Color  Sergeant  Sands,  Sergt.  John  J.  Davis, 

Priv.  James  Rogan,  Priv.  George  W.  Smith, 

Priv.  Edward  Casey,  Priv.  Philip  Miller. 

At  the  Battles  of  the  Wilderness  and  Spotsylvania,  Sergt.  W.  H.  Stebbins  was 
mentioned  for  distinguished  bravery,  and,  also,  at  the  Battle  of  Opequon, 
September  19,  1864. 

Sergt.  George  Anderson,  a  color  bearer,  distinguished  himself  in  the  battles 
at  Winchester,  Fisher's  Hill,  and  Cedar  Creek. 

The  United  States  Congress  issued  brevet  commissions  for  "  gallant  and 
meritorious  service  "  to  Col.  B.  F.  Baker,  Lieut.  Col.  C.  A.  Milliken,  Adjt. 
Thomas  Lynch,  Lieut.  Col.  William  H.  Terrell,  and  Maj.  Richard  L.  Annesley. 

Col.  William  F.  Fox,  in  his  book,  "  Regimental  Losses  in  the  American 
Civil  Wrar,"  says: 

"  The  Forty-third  New  York  was  a  fighting  regiment,  and  was  known  as 
such  throughout  the  corps  and  at  home.  It  was  issigned  to  Gen.  W.  S.  Han 
cock's  Brigade,  and  participated  with  that  command  in  its  brilliant  manoeuvre 
at  Williamsburg.  It  was  selected  as  one  of  the  rive  crack  regiments  to  form 
the  famous  '  Light  Division '  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  the  division  which  took  such 
a  prominent  part  in  the  successful  storming  of  Marye's  Heights.  The  three 
field  officers,  Colonel  Wilson,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Fryer,  and  Major  Wallace 
were  killed  in  the  Wilderness  campaign.  At  Spotsylvania  the  regiment,  though 
thinned  and  shattered,  was  one  of  the  twelve  picked  battalions  which  General 
Upton  led  in  his  historic  charge,  and  in  which  the  Forty-third  with  its  usual 
clash  captured  some  of  the  enemy's  flags.  The  Third  Brigade  bore  the  brunt 
of  the  battle  at  Fort  Stevens,  Washington,  D.  C.,  where' the  Forty-third  fought 
under  the  approving  eye  of  the  President,  and  helped  save  the  Capital  from 
Early's  invading  army.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Visscher  commanding,  was  killed 
in  this  action." 

Colonel  Fox  also  says:  "The  loss  of  officers  in  the  Third  Brigade,  Second 
Division,  Sixth  Corps"  —  to  which  the  Forty-third  belonged  —  "was  without 
a  parallel  in  the  war,  the  five  regiments  losing  72  officers,  killed  in  action." 

The  loss  of  the  Forty-third  in  officers  killed  or  mortally  wounded  was  as 
follows : 

At  the  Wilderness,  Col.  John  Wilson,  Lieut.  Col.  John  Fryer,  Maj.  William 
Wallace,  Lieut.  John  M.  Dempsey,  Lieut.  Richard  Castle,  Lieut.  David  Meade, 
and  Lieut.  Theodore  S.  Bailey;  at  Fort  Stevens,  Lieut.  Col.  James  D.  Visscher; 
at  Marye's  Heights,  Capt.  Hugh  B.  Knickerbocker,  and  Lieut.  George  H. 
Koonz;  at  Salem  Church,  Capt.  Douglas  Lodge;  at  Gettysburg,  Capt.  W.  H. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Gilfillan ;  at  Spotsylvania,  Capt.  David  Burhans ;  and  at  Winchester,  Lieut. 
John  B.  Carter. 

The  regiment  participated  with  the  Sixth  Corps  in  all  its  battles  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  shared  in  the  final  glorous  consummation  at  Appomattox. 
The  official  records  show  that  during  its  campaign  the  regiment  sustained  a 
total  loss  in  battle  of  692  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  It  was  mustered  out 
of  service,  July  27,  1865. 

The  writer  of  this  sketch  has  endeavored  to  give  a  concise  history  of  the 
Forty-third  Regiment,  New  York  Infantry,  as  he  remembers  it,  and  as  he 
gathers  from  data  in  his  possession.  It  is  necessarily  brief  and  imperfect,  but 
the  eloquent  facts  stated  can  all  be  substantiated.  A  list  is  given  of  the 
names  of  commissioned  officers  killed  in  battle,  but  the  writer  has  no  com 
plete  record  of  the  names  of  the  200  and  more  noncommissioned  officers 
and  enlisted  men,  who  after  the  most  faithful  and  honorable  service,  no  less 
bravely  gave  up  their  lives  in  defense  of  the  Flag.  Nor  has  he  a  list  of 
those  heroes  who  suffered  and  died  in  Confederate  prisons.  They  are  carried 
on  the  honor-roll  of  the  Nation  they  fought  to  preserve,  and  in  the  archives 
at  Washington  their  names  are  sacredly  preserved  to  be  handed  down  to 
posterity  among  those  who  died  that  the  Nation  might  live. 

The  Forty-third  had  as  commandants :  First.  Col.  Francis  L.  Vinton,  an 
honor  graduate  of  West  Point,  to  whom  the  Forty-third  owed  much  of  that 
discipline  and  fighting  quality  which  distinguished  it.  Colonel  Vinton  was 
promoted  Brigadier  General,  and  while  in  command  of  his  brigade  was 
wounded  at  Fredericksburg,  and  incapacitated  for  further  service.  He  was 
worthily  succeeded  by  Col.  Benjamin  F.  Baker,  who  had  been  successively 
Major  and  Lieutenant  Colonel.  Colonel  Baker,  a'  brave  officer,  gallantly  led 
the  regiment  through  many  of  its  most  arduous  campaigns  and  fiercest  battles. 
The  third  Colonel  was  John  Wilson,  who  entered  the  service  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war  as  Captain,  and  had  been  promoted  Major  and  Lieutenant  Colonel. 

Colonel  Wilson  was  mentioned  in  General  Orders  on  several  occasions  for 
bravery.  He  was  an  intrepid  soldier,  a  man  "  without  fear  and  without 
reproach,"  a  born  leader,  an  heroic  soul  who  met  his  death  bravely  in  the 
Wilderness. 

Lieut.  Col.  James  D.  Visscher  next  took  command,  and  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  the  defense  of  Washington.  He  was  killed  at  Fort  Stevens,  bravely 
leading  his  regiment  in  the  charge. 

Lieut.  V.  V.  Van  Patten  was  in  command  after  the  battle  at  Fort  Stevens, 
but  was  in  a  short  time  mustered  out  with  the  part  of  the  regiment  whose 
term  of  service  had  expired. 

The  regiment  now  became  a  battalion  of  five  companies,  and  Lieut.  Col. 
Charles  A.  Milliken  was  its  last  commander.  He  rose  from  the  ranks,  was 
four  times  wounded,  and  mentioned  in  General  Orders  for  gallantry  and  good 
conduct  i:i  battle.  Colonel  Milliken  was  in  command  of  the  battalion  in 
the  campaign  in  the  valley  under  Sheridan,  and  in  front  of  Petersburg,  and 
was  mustered  out  with  the  regiment. 


J.   H.  LYON    I'KINT. 


F.    J.    SEVERENCE,   PHOTO. 


12TH    AND   44TH    NEW   YORK    INFANTRY. 
On  Little  Round  Top. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  339 

(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 

12TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY, 

OR  SOME  PART  OF  IT  WAS 

PRESENT  AT  ALL  BATTLES 

OF  THE  5TH  CORPS. 

ARMY  OF  POTOMAC, 

FROM 
HANOVER  COURT  HOUSE, 

MAY  27,  1862,  TO 
APPOMATTOX,  APRIL  9,  1865. 


12TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY, 

D  AND  E.  COMPANIES 

LT.  COL.  H.  W.  RYDER,  COM'D'G. 

3D  BRIGADE. 

IST  DIVISION, 

STH  CORPS. 
ON  DUTY  AT  5TH  CORPS 

HEADQUARTERS 
JULY  i,  2,  AND  3,  1863. 


34O  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT. 
12ra  BATTALION  INFANTRY. 

July  3,  1893. 

REMARKS  AND  ADDRESSES. 

GEN.  BUTTERFIELD. —  It  is  proper  that  I  should  say  in  presenting  the  Com 
missioners  of  the  State  of  New  York,  that  we  have  acted  upon  the  suggestion 
that  nothing  should  be  said  here  that  would  give  rise  to  any  comment  or  con 
troversy.  As  I  shall  not  speak  again  or  go  into  any  details,  I  must  make  this 
answer  to  those  who  have  requested  me  to  speak  here  upon  certain  matters, 
that  I  shall  not  tell  you  why  this  field  was  not  occupied  earlier.  I  shall  only 
tell  you  that  it  was  not  the  fault  of  General  Sickles.  He  insisted  upon  its  occu 
pancy  at  the  earliest  hour  in  the  morning.  I  shall  not  allude  to  other  things  in 
connection  with  the  remarks  of  General  Slocum.  But  I  shall  ask  you  to  thank 
the  Governor  for  his  presence  here,  and  the  honor  he  has  thus  conferred  on  us. 

Gov.  FLOWER. —  I  am  glad  to  be  with  you  on  this  historic  ground  to-day. 
As  I  look  over  this  valley  I  am  reminded  of  the  Spartans  of  old,  who  taught 
their  sons  to  till  the  ground  and  to  be  fighters  at  the  same  time.  The 
Macedonians,  on  the  other  hand,  taught  their  sons  to  fight,  and  used  their  slaves 
to  till  the  ground.  The  Southerners,  like  the  Macedonians,  had  slaves  to  culti 
vate  their  farms  and  raise  their  crops.  They  taught  their  sons  to  be  gentlemen, 
and  to  fight  if  necessary.  The  Northerners  were  tillers  of  the  soil,  and  were 
educated  to  believe  in  the  institutions  of  this  county,  and  this  method  of 
government.  We  know  the  valor  of  the  Southerners,  and  they  respect  ours. 
We  are  bound  together  by  commercial  interests,  and  by  ties  cemented  on  the 
battlefield. 

GEN.  BUTTERFIELD. —  Comrades,  every  soldier  in  the  Forty-fourth  and  every 
veteran  from  the  State  of  New  York,  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  Gettys 
burg  Monuments  Commission.  They  have  honored  you;  they  have  honored  the 
brigade;  they  have  honored  me  in  acceding  to  my  request  that  they  should  be 
here.  The  Chairman  of  the  Commission,  General  Sickles,  earned  our  gratitude 
and  deserves  the  thanks  of  the  people  throughout  the  United  States.  What 
ever  criticism  has  been  made  upon  his  position  on  this  field,  was  answered  by 
General  Longstreet  when  he  said  that  if  Gettysburg  was  the  decisive  battle 
of  the  war,  General  Sickles  was  the  man  that  decided  it:  I  call  this  to  your 
mind  in  introducing  him  to  you  as  the  Chairman  of  the  Commission  that 
erected  this  beautiful  monument  and  the  State  monument  here  upon  this 
battlefield.  The  Commission  has  shown  to  your  committee  the  greatest  con 
sideration  and  kindness  in  allowing  you  to  postpone  the  completion  of  your 
monument  until  the  funds  could  be  raised  to  make  it  perfect.  I  take  great 
pleasure  in  introducing  General  Sickles. 

GEN.  SICKLES. —  General  Butterfield  has  kindly  referred  to  the  Board  of 
Commissioners,  of  which  I  have  the  honor  to  be  Chairman,  and  to  our 
task  assigned  to  us  by  the  State  in  erecting  monuments  here  on  this  field 
in  honoi  of  her  heroes  in  battle.  An  expression  of  the  sentiments  of  my 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  341 

colleagues,  as  well  as  my  own,  is  that  it  has  been  a  labor  of  love.  We  have 
given  some  years  of  time  and  study  and  diligent  labor  to  the  execution  of  our 
task.  It  seems  now  to  be  done,  and  it  is  a  source  of  great  satisfaction  to  us 
to  be  told  during  the  last  two  or  three  days  that  you  and  your  comrades  are 
pleased. 

Reference  has  been  made  by  your  eloquent  orator  to  the  Forty-fourth  in 
its  early  days.  He  has  told  us  that  you  were  a  fine  body  of  young  men, 
gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  State,  and  judging  from  your  good  looks  to-day, 
I  can  well  understand  how  handsome  you  must  have  been ;  and  as  good  looking 
young  people  always  like  to  have  their  pictures  taken,  I  think  it  quite  natural 
that  you  should  have  that  desire.  I  think  you  might  have  your  pictures 
taken  once  more  on  this  historic  ground,  and  I  think  the  photographer  could 
do  no  better  than  to  get  in  position  now. 

I  know  a  little  more  about  the  Twelfth  than  I  do  about  the  Forty-fourth. 
I  used  to  belong  to  the  Twelfth  when  I  was  a  youngster.  I  was  associated 
with  that  regiment  when  it  was  organized  by  my  friend,  Col.  Henry  G.  Stebbins. 
It  consisted  of  several  of  what  we  called  the  crack  companies  of  New  York. 
We  adopted  a  uniform  proposed  by  Col.  Stebbins,  which  he  copied  from  the 
Austrian  army;  a  very  handsome  uniform.  I  recollect  a  little  incident  about  that 
uniform  that  might  amuse  you.  I  \vas  a  captain  in  the  Twelfth  when  I  was 
invited  by  Mr.  Buchanan  to  go  to  England  as  Secretary  of  the  Legation. 
I  took  my  uniform  with  me.  I  was  rather  proud  of  it.  We  had  some  trouble 
about  that  time  in  regard  to  the  American  diplomatic  uniform.  It  was  abolished 
later.  We  had  to  go  to  Court  in  what  was  called  the  plain  dress  of  an  Ameri 
can  citizen.  We  found  that  the  plain  dress  of  an  American  citizen  was 
exactly  like  that  worn  by  the  Queen's  servants.  There  was  a  great  risk  of 
somebody  asking  me  to  bring  a  glass  of  water,  or  something.  I  didn't  fancy 
wearing  that  dress,  and  so  I  consulted  the  master  of  ceremonies,  and  asked  him 
if  my  uniform  would  be  acceptable.  "  Oh,  yes,"  he  said,  "  the  Queen  likes  to 
see  all  her  guests  who  are  entitled  to  wear  uniform,  in  full  dress."  The  next 
occasion  when  we  were  invited  to  attend  the  Queen,  was  at  the  opening  of 
Sydenham  Palace.  All  the  Diplomatic  Corps  were  requested  to  accompany 
Her  Majesty  on  that  occasion.  Perhaps  200,000  people  were  assembled  in 
various  parts  of  the  palace.  It  wras  during  the  Crimean  war,  and  any  one  look 
ing  like  a  German  or  Austrian  was  very  unpopular.  As  I  was  seen  walking 
at  the  side  of  Mr.  Buchanan  and  our  associates  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  the 
mob  recognized  the  Austrian  uniform  which  I  wore,  and  there  was  hooting  and 
howling  and  hissing, —  "  Put  him  out!  "  I  had  felt  very  proud  in  my  uniform 
up  to  that  moment,  and  I  never  suspected  for  an  instant  that  I  was  the  object 
of  all  this  criticism.  But  Mr.  Buchanan  discovered  that  I  was  the  victim,  and  of 
course  felt  somewhat  uncomfortable.  When  we  reached  the  end  of  our  walk, 
and  were  surrounding  the  Queen,  she  called  me  to  her  side  and  expressed  her 
regret  that  one  of  her  guests  should  be  treated  so  badly  by  the  crowd,  and  had 
caused  messages  to  be  sent  through  the  palace  explaining  to  the  multitude  their 
error,  when  I  had  the  satisfaction  to  receive,  in  the  uniform  of  the  Twelfth 
Regiment,  as  hearty  a  cheer  as  any  American  ever  received  when  the  crowd 
discovered  their  mistake. 


*<s>  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

O-r- 

Comrades,  reference  has  been  made  to  my  presence  on  this  field  on  the  2d 
of  July,  1863.  It  is  true  that  I  was  assigned  to  a  position  by  the  commanding 
general,  on  the  left  of  the  army.  But  perhaps  I  can  recall  an  incident  that  will 
explain  why  that  position  was  assigned  to  me.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  ist 
I  reached  this  field  in  compliance  with  the  request  of  General  Howard,  sent 
me  at  Emmitsburg,  ten  or  twelve  miles  away.  We  made  a  forced  march  down 
here  with  our  first  division,  and  here  we  met  General  Slocum,  and  General 
Hancock,  and  General  Howard,  and  we  reconnoitered  this  field.  I  rode  around 
from  Gulp's  Hill  on  the  right  to  Cemetery  Ridge  in  the  centre,  to  Round  Top, 
here  where  we  are  now,  on  the  left;  in  other  words,  visiting  all  the  command 
ing  heights  and  positions  on  the  field.  After  conferring  with  General  Slocum, 
and  General  Hancock,  and  General  Howard,  and  finding  that  we  were  agreed 
that  this  was  a  good  place  to  fight  a  battle,  I  sat  down  and  wrote  General 
Meade,  expressing  these  sentiments.  But  it  occurred  to  me,  as  I  find  from  the 
records,  that  while  it  was  a  good  battlefield,  it  was  vulnerable  on  the  left,  in 
my  judgment.  That  impression  I  got  from  looking  around  from  Round  Top 
here,  seated  in  the  saddle,  and  perhaps  it  was  in  consequence  of  that  that  it  is 
now  on  the  records  of  the  War  Department.  And  I  am  not  sure  whether 
it  is  printed  in  the  Official  Records  or  not,  but  I  have  a  copy  taken  from  the 
files  of  the  War  Department. 

It  may  have  been  in  consequence  of  that  suggestion  that  General  Meade 
said,  "  Well,  Sickles,  do  you  think  that  the  left  is  a  vulnerable  and  a  dangerous 
place?  Suppose  you  go  over  there  and  look  after  it."  I  asked  General  Meade, 
in  view  of  my  apprehensions  about  the  left,  and  the  opportunities  it  afforded 
for  a  flank  movement  by  the  enemy,  to  place  here  a  division  of  cavalry,  which 
he  did,  and  sent  Buford's  Division  of  cavalry  here.  As  my  flank  was  covered 
by  that  noble  division,  I  felt  very  comfortable.  I  knew  I  would  have  plenty 
of  notice  for  anything  I  had  to  do,  and  that  Buford  would  entertain 
the  enemy  as  he  had  done  the  day  before,  giving  me  notice  and  ample  time  to 
make  my  dispositions.  But  unfortunately  I  was  obliged  to  go  over  to  General 
Meade  quite  early  in  the  morning  of  the  2d,  and  call  his  attention  to  the  fact 
that  Buford's  Division,  after  staying  here  two  or  three  hours,  had  moved  away, 
and  that  our  left  flank  was  entirely  uncovered,  and  that  this  position  was 
unoccupied;  that  it  was  quite  impossible  for  me  to  extend  my  line  from  Han 
cock's  Ridge  to  Round  Top,  and  leave  any  force  to  protect  this  important  and 
commanding  position;  and  asked  for  reinforcements,  and  asked  that  if  Buford 
could  not  be  sent  back  here,  that  another  division  of  cavalry  be  sent  here  to 
protect  this  place;  and  a  promise  to  that  effect  was  given  me  by  the  command 
ing  general,  that  an  ample  force  should  be  sent  here  at  once.  General  Meade 
did  not  expect  an  attack  from  the  enemy  on  this  part  of  the  field.  His  attention 
Avas  then  occupied  with  the  contemplated  assault  that  he  expected  to  instruct 
General  Slocum  to  make  on  our  extreme  right,  Gulp's  Hill.  For  good  and 
sufficient  reasons  presented  by  General  Warren,  endorsing  the  views  of  Gen 
eral  Slocum,  that  attack  on  the  right  was  not  made.  Later  in  the  day,  having 
discovered  that  the  enemy  was  massing  a  very  large  force  to  attack  this  flank 
of  the  army,  again  urgent  requests  were  made  by  me  in  person ;  again  and  again 
I  sent  them  over  to  headquarters  calling  attention  to  the  fact  that  double  our 
numbers  were  already  massed  for  the  attack  in  this  direction. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Now  more  than  that  I  do  not  care  to  say.  I  choose  to  say  it  here  and  now 
because  I  say  it  in  the  presence  of  Tremain  and  Moore  and  Butterfield,  Butter- 
field  being  Chief  of  Staff,  and  Tremain  and  Moore  my  principal  staff  officers, 
and  can  confirm  what  I  state.  I  quite  agree  with  General  Butterfield  in  his 
desire  to  avoid  on  this  occasion  any  remarks  calculated  to  provoke  contro 
versy  or  ill  feeling. 

And  here  we  are,  alive  by  the  grace  of  God!  And  I  believe  it  to  be  our 
duty  to  tell  the  truth  and  state  the  facts  as  we  know  them  to  be,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  historian,  not  intending  criticism  upon  anybody.  As  Lincoln  said, 
"  There  was  glory  enough  at  Gettysburg  to  go  all  around,  and  cover  every 
body,  "  and  I  am  not  here  to  take  a  leaf  from  the  laurel  that  wreaths  the  brow 
of  anyone  who  fought  here,  or  commanded  here.  I  say,  God  bless  them  all, 
and  God  be  with  them  all ! 

Now,  comrades,  this  is  the  last  time  I  shall  ever  have  the  privilege  of  meeting 
any  of  you  upon  this  field. 

Your  orator  has  well  pointed  out  some  of  the  features  that  distinguished  the 
American  volunteer.  Governor  Flower  has  eloquently  pointed  out  the  fea 
tures  that  characterize  our  Republic  and  American  soldier.  Bounties  certainly 
did  not  entice  the  men  of  the  Forty-fourth,  for  they  had  to  pay  $100  apiece 
for  the  privilege  of  taking  up  a  musket  in  defence  of  their  country.  You  took 
up  arms  because  you  belonged  to  a  large  joint  stock  concern  that  owns  this 
country.  You  took  up  arms  in  defence  of  what  was  your  own  property,  your 
households,  your  firesides,  your  farms,  your  institutions;  and  when  misguided 
men  came  forward  to  set  fire  to  your  homes,  you  took  means  to  put  the  fire 
out,  and  to  arrest  the  incendiaries,  and  to  preserve  your  homes  from  misguided 
hands,  and  to  make  your  liberties  imperishable  forever,  and  you  performed 
that  duty.  God  bless  you  for  it! 

GEN.  BUTTERFIELD. —  We  are  honored  by  the  presence  of  a  member  of  the 
Monuments  Commission,  one  who  has  added  to  the  services  and  honors  won 
on  this  field  as  commanding  the  right  wing  of  the  army,  on  Gulp's  Hill.  It 
gives  me  great  pleasure  to  present  to  you  General  Slocum. 

GEN.  SLOCUM. —  Comrades,  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  return  home  this 
morning,  but  when  General  Butterfield  invited  me  to  come  up  here,  my  long 
acquaintance  and  friendship  prompted  me  to  attend. 

We  have  had  a  good  many  soldiers  on  this  field  during  this  reunion,  but  there 
is  no  other  man  that  could  have  gotten  us  up  and  moved  us  around  in  such 
perfect  order  as  General  Butterfield  has  done. 

I  listened  with  great  interest  to  your  orator.  If  he  was  as  good  a  soldier  as 
he  is  a  speaker,  there  is  no  wonder  that  he  was  an  officer  in  your  regiment. 
It  was  a  good  choice.  There  is  one  part  of  his  address  that  he  might  have 
omitted,  because  it  was  something  that  we  would  have  all  known.  He  says 
that  when  General  Butterfield  was  drilling  his  regiment,  he  made  them  get  up 
and  take  their  meals  at  the  sound  of  the  bugle.  The  only  wonder  is  to  me 
that  he  did  not  order  them  to  go  to  sleep  at  the  sound  of  the  bugle. 

Comrades,  if  I  had  come  up  to  this  field  a  stranger,  and  had  been  taken  up 
into  the  vicinity  of  that  monument  and  asked  who  designed  it,  I  should  have 
'jcnown  that  it  was  Butterfield,  because  there  is  so  much  nice  detail  about  it. 
So  much  attention  has  been  paid  to  transcribing  the  names  of  the  officers  and 


344  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

men.  Those  names  will  stand  for  all  time.  The  choice  of  the  site  and  the 
formation  of  the  monument  is  simply  perfect.  It  is  not  excelled  by  any  monu 
ment  of  this  field,  for  the  place  on  which  it  stands;  and  I  think  you  will  agree 
with  me  that  our  State  monument  is  not  excelled  in  this  country. 

Now,  what  I  say  here  will  be  forgotten.  You  all  want  to  go  up  there  and 
have  your  photographs  taken. 

GEN.  BUTTERFIELD. —  Comrades,  we  are  honored  and  gratified  by  the  pres 
ence  of  the  oldest  living  participant  in  this  battle.  He  has  nothing  but  glory 
and  honor  in  his  record.  His  services  on  this  field  in  command  of  his  brigade 
on  the  night  of  the  2d  at  Gulp's  Hill,  and  on  other  fields  where  he  served  with 
me  have  not  been  surpassed  in  ability  and  gallantry.  He  has  been  spared  to 
enter  his  ninety-third  year.  He  is  the  oldest  living  member  of  the  Military 
Academy,  and  it  is  an  honor  to  have  him  here  present,  as  it  was  to  have  him 
yesterday  as  an  honorary  Grand  Marshal. 

GEN.  GREENE. —  Soldiers,  I  am  glad  to  be  with  you  here  to-day.  I  am  glad 
to  see  this  noble  monument  erected  in  honor  of  your  services  and  those  oi 
your  comrades  who  have  gone  before  you,  and  I  can  only  say  that  it  is  the 
greatest  pleasure  that  I  have  in  seeing  that  monument,  that  it  will  bear  your 
names  and  carry  your  memories  as  long  as  this  government  stands,  which  I 
hope  will  be  forever. 

GEN.  BUTTERFIELD. —  Comrades,  we  are  further  honored  by  the  presence  here 
of  the  highest  official  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  the  State  of  New  York  in  the 
person  of  its  Bishop,  who  gave  us  the  magnificent  and  careful  address  of  dedi 
cation  at  the  New  York  Monument,  and  as  we  propose  to  close  this  meeting 
now,  and  have  a  further  meeting  afterwards  for  discussing  some  business 
details  of  the  regiment,  I  take  the  liberty,  without  consulting  him,  of  asking 
my  personal  friend,  the  Bishop,  to  invoke  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  upcn 
us. 

Benediction  by  Bishop  Potter. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCHES. 

THE  TWELFTH  NEW  YORK,  S.  M. 
"  Independence  Guard." 

Due  credit  has  never  been  given  to  the  New  York  City  regiments  which 
went  to  the  front  in  1861  during  the  first  week  of  the  war.  The  country  saw 
and  applauded  the  thrilling  display  of  patriotism  and  willingness  to  face  the 
perils  of  the  field,  but  took  little  note  of  the  sacrifice  of  personal  interests  and 
business  prospects  incurred  by  the  marvelous  promptness  with  which  these 
men  responded  to  the  first  alarm  of  war.  History  has  accorded  ample  recog 
nition  to  the  glorious  deeds  of  the  volunteer  regiments  in  the  Great  Rebellion; 
let  it  also  point  out  plainly  the  noble  record  and  valuable  services  of  the  militia 
organizations. 

The  Twelfth  New  York  Militia  will  always  hold  a  conspicuous  place  in  the 
history  of  the  war  on  account  oi  the  promptness  with  which  it  moved  to  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  345 

front  and  the  efficient  aid  which  it  rendered  at  the  outbreak  of  hostilities,  those 
trying,  anxious  days  which  formed  so  critical  a  period  in  the  Great  Rebellion. 

Organized  in  1847,  the  regiment  has  had  a  long  as  well  as  an  honorable 
record.  Its  rolls  bear  the  names  of  many  who  have  attained  national  prom 
inence,  men  of  both  civic  and  military  renown.  It  never  failed  to  respond  to 
the  call  of  duty,  and  in  the  Mexican  War  it  was  represented  by  the  First  New 
York  Volunteers,  in  which  a  large  portion  of  the  officers  and  men  were  furnished 
by  the  Twelfth.  At  the  time  of  the  Astor  Place  Riots  in  New  York,  May  10, 
1849,  the  regiment  was  called  out  and  rendered  honorable  service.  At  that 
time  it  was  commanded  by  Col.  Henry  G.  Stebbins  and  Lieut.  Col.  John  Jacob 
Astor. 

The  colonelcy  was  held  by  various  incumbents  until  December  7,  1859, 
when  Col.  Daniel  Butterfield  succeeded  to  the  command.  Under  his  direction 
the  regiment  attained  such  a  high  state  of  efficiency  that,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  parade  of  the  division,  October  II,  1860,  in  honor  of  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
a  most  notable  event  at  that  time,  Major  General  Sandford  detailed  the  Twelfth 
to  receive  the  Prince  and  act  as  his  escort. 

When  the  war  clouds  first  began  to  lower  in  1861,  a  meeting  of  the  officers 
was  called,  on  February  22d,  at  which  they  requested  Colonel  Butterfield  to 
offer  the  services  of  the  regiment  to  assist  in  maintaining  order  at  the  inaugura 
tion  of  President  Lincoln;  but  the  tender  was  declined  by  General  Scott  with 
thanks.*  At  a  subsequent  meeting  held  April  5,  1861,  before  Sumter  was  at 
tacked,  the  services  of  the  regiment  were  again  tendered,  "  for  the  expedition 
for  the  relief  of  Fort  Sumter,"  and  again  declined. 

When  the  first  gun  was  fired,  Colonel  Butterfield  renewed  his  offer,  but  re 
ceived  a  response  that  the  regiment  was  not  strong  enough  in  numbers.  He 
answered  promptly  that  he  would  bring  one  thousand  men  to  the  front  on 
twenty-four  hours'  notice.  The  regiment  was  accepted,  and  Butterfield,  who 
was  then  in  Washing-ton,  telegraphed  in  cipher  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  Ward 
to  open  a  recruiting  office  immediately  and  make  the  necessary  preparations 
to  march.  In  twelve  hours  the  regiment  was  recruited  to  a  thousand  men  and 
made  ready  for  a  start.  In  the  meantime  Colonel  Ward  raised  $10,000  in  sub 
scriptions  from  friends  in  Wall  street  for  the  further  equipment  of  the  com 
mand. 

On  Sunday,  April  2ist,  the  regiment  paraded  in  Union  Square,  where  it 
received  its  colors  from  the  hands  of  a  former  commander,  Col.  John  S.  Cocks, 
and  then  with  Butterfield  at  its  head,  marched  down  Broadway  amid  the  tumul 
tuous  cheering  of  the  thousands  who  in  dense  crowds  lined  the  route  to  the 
wharf. 

One  of  the  companies,  as  was  customary  in  the  militia  organizations  of  that 
day,  was  designated  as  an  artillery  company,  and  was  equipped  with  two  "  prai 
rie  "  howitzers.  Another  company  served  as  an  "  engineer  corps,"  leaving 
eight  companies  of  infantry. 

Embarking  on  the  steamer  Baltic,  the  regiment  sailed  for  Fort  Monroe,  where, 
on  their,  arrival,  they  could  plainly  see  the  smoke  of  the  conflagration  at  the 
Norfolk  Navy  Yard,  a  reminder  that  grim  visaged  war  was  abroad  in  the  land. 
Thence  the  steamer  proceeded  to  Annapolis,  where,  after  two  days  of  tedious 

*  For  this  and  some  other  interesting  statements  the  author  is  indebted  to  an  ad  Ire--  delivered  bv  Ge,, 
William  G.  \\  ard,  April  21.  18'J3,  and  a  historical  sketch  by  Col.  John  Ward. 


346  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

a  locomotive  was  found  which  had  been  disabled  by  rebel  sympathizers  and 
thrown  off  the  track.  After  a  thorough  search  the  missing  parts  were  found. 
Some  skilful  machinists  in  the  regiment,  under  the  direction  of  Private  Schutte, 
put  the  engine  in  order,  cleaned  and  oiled  its  parts,  and  in  four  hours  had  it  on 
the  track  with  the  fire  lighted.  It  was  then  sent  back  to  Annapolis,  from  where 
it  returned  with  a  train  of  provisions  and  the  howitzers  of  Company  I. 

The  regiment  arrived  at  Washington  on  Sunday  evening,  April  28th.  After 
a  brief  stay  in  temporary  quarters  with  the  usual  discomforts,  suitable  barracks 
were  erected  at  "  Camp  Anderson,"  in  Franklin  Square,  under  the  supervision  of 
Captain  Fowler,  an  experienced  builder.  On  May  2d,  the  men  were  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  for  a  term  of  three  months  by  Maj.  Irvin  Mc 
Dowell,  U.  S.  A.  —  afterward  Major  General  McDowell  and  commander  of 
the  Union  army  in  Virginia. 

The  stay  at  Camp  Anderson  was  improved  by  a  thorough  course  of  daily 
drill  —  squad,  company,  and  regimental  —  under  the  competent  direction  of 
Colonel  Butterfield,  whose  watchful  eye  took  in  every  detail  and  noted  every 
error.  He  was  assisted  by  some  West  Point  cadets  of  the  class  just  gradu 
ated,  who  instructed  the  different  companies  and  drilled  the  officers  in  skir 
mishing.  The  band  and  drum  corps  attained  commendable  proficiency.  The 
evening  dress  parades  attracted  daily  a  large  throng  of  spectators,  while  the 
general  appearance,  drill  and  discipline  of  the  regiment  elicited  hearty  praise 
from  the  regular  officers  on  duty  in  Washington. 

The  movement  into  Virginia  across  the  Potomac  and  over  the  famous  Long 
Bridge  occurred  on  the  night  of  May  24th.  The  Twelfth  New  York  had 
made  such  a  good  impression  by  its  superior  drill  and  general  efficiency  that 
it  was  honored  by  General  Mansfield  with  an  assignment  to  the  head  of  the 
column,  and  was  the  first  regiment  to  enter  Virginia,  the  first  to  receive  a  chal 
lenge  from  the  enemy's  pickets,  which  were  encountered  as  soon  as  the  bridge 
was  crossed. 

After  a  stay  of  ten  days  at  Roach's  Mills,  a  place  about  six  miles  from  Wash 
ing,  the  Twelfth  returned  to  the  city  and  reoccupied  Camp  Anderson.  Hav 
ing  been  ordered  to  join  General  Patterson's  army  at  Martinsburg,  W.  Va., 
the  regiment  left  Washington  on  July  7th,  and  moving  by  rail  through 
Baltimore,  Harrisburg,  and  Hagerstown,  marched  to  Williamsport,  Md.,  where 
it  forded  the  Potomac  on  the  gth  and  pushed  on  to  Martinsburg.  Here  it 
was  brigaded  with  the  Fifth,  Nineteenth,  and  Twenty-eighth  regiments  of  New 
York  Militia,  with  Colonel  Butterfield  as  acting  brigadier,  leaving  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Ward  in  command  of  the  Twelfth. 

During  the  ensuing  three  weeks  of  the  campaign  the  regiment  was  actively 
engaged  in  field  service  connected  with  the  movements  of  General  Patterson's 
forces.  In  the  course  of  its  marches  and  reconnoissances,  it  occupied  important 
positions  at  Bunker's  Hill,  Charlestown,  Harper's  Ferry,  and  Loudoun  Heights. 
It  did  picket  duty  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  and  participated  in  a  foraging-  ex 
pedition  into  the  enemy's  territory.  The  regiment  in  the  course  of  the  campaign 
was  present  at  several  skirmishes,  but  without  sustaining  any  loss. 

The  term  of  service  for  Avhich  the  Twelfth  enlisted  expired  on  July  i6th; 
but  Colonel  Butterfield  tendered  its  services  until  August  2d,  an  offer  which  was 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  347 

promptly  and  gladly  accepted  by  the  War  Department.  On  its  return  to  New 
York  the  regiment  was  greeted  with  an  enthusiastic  reception  that  plainly 
showed  the  favor  with  which  it  was  regarded  by  the  populace.  The  march 
up  Broadway  was  through  vast  crowds  that  at  times  impeded  its  progress,  but 
who  cheered  long  and  loud  at  the  sight  of  the  sun-browned  ranks  that  swept  by 
with  even  step  and  perfect  alignment. 

But  the  services  of  the  Twelfth  New  York  were  not  to  end  here.  It  was 
destined  to  serve  in  other  campaigns,  while  a  portion  of  it,  in  a  different  com 
mand,  but  under  the  same  regimental  number,  was  to  fight  on  historic  fields, 
and  fill  many  a  soldier's  grave. 

Colonel  Butterfield's  valuable  services  were  recognized  at  the  War  Depart 
ment  by  a  commission  as  lieutenant  colonel  in  the  regular  army,  and  a  pro 
motion  to  the  rank  of  brigadier  general,  after  which  his  connection  with  the 
regiment  ceased,  and  Lieut.  Col.  William  G.  Ward  succeeded  to  the  command. 

Upon  the  muster  out  of  the  Twelfth,  Henry  A.  Weeks,  who  at  one  time  was 
a  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  regiment,  received  authority  to  reorganize  it  for  a 
term  of  three  years'  enlistment.  The  old  regiment,  however,  maintained  its 
existence,  although  the  new  one  thus  organized  was  recruited  largely  from  its 
ranks.  Captains  Boyle,  Huson,  Ryder,  Cromie,  and  Fowler,  and  Lieutenant 
Hoaglancl  each  raised  companies  from  the  old  Twelfth  for  this  new  organiza 
tion,  which  was  also  called  the  Twelfth  Militia  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Twelfth 
New  York  Volunteers,  an  Onondaga  County  regiment  that  was  already  in  the 
field. 

Colonel  Weeks  raised  eight  companies,  which  were  mustered  into  the  United 
States  service  for  three  years.  In  January,  1862,  'Company  A  was  transferred 
to  the  One  hundred  and  second  New  York  Volunteers;  and  the  seven  remain 
ing  companies  were  consolidated  into  five,  B,  C,  D,  E,  and  F.  Company  G 
was  merged  into  Company  B,  and  K  into  E.  This  battalion  of  five  companies, 
under  command  of  Colonel  Weeks,  left  the  State,  February  5,  1862,  and  on  the 
8th  was  consolidated  with  the  five  company  battalion  of  the  Twelfth  New 
York  Volunteers,  thereby  completing  the  organization  of  that  regiment.  The 
five  companies  from  the  Twelfth  Militia  preserved  their  company  organiza 
tions,  and  each  retained  its  company  letter.  Colonel  Weeks  was  placed  in  com 
mand  of  the  regiment  thus  organized,  but  the  designation  of  the  Twelfth  Vol 
unteers  was  adopted  to  distinguish  it  from  the  old  Twelfth  Militia,  which  still 
preserved  its  organization  and  subsequently  served  two  more  terms  of  enlist 
ment  at  the  front.  From  this  time  on  the  record  of  these  five  companies  was 
identical  with  that  of  the  Twelfth  New  York  Volunteers,  a  history  of  which 
appears  farther  on  in  the  pages  of  this  sketch.  The  regiment  was  assigned  to 
Butterfield's  Brigade,  and  thus  the  men  were  again  to  follow  the  fortunes  of 
their  former  commander. 

But  the  war  was  not  over.  The  patriotic  services  of  the  old  Twelfth  Militia 
did  not  end  with  its  first  enlistment.*  On  May  27,  1862,  the  regiment  havino- 
reorganized  and  recruited,  was  ordered  to  the  front,  and  left  New  York  on 
June  6th,  with  Col.  William  G.  Ward  in  command.  At  this  time  it  contained 
nine  companies,  numbering  750  officers  and  men.  Tt  was  stationed  first  at 
Fort  Mclienry,  Baltimore,  where  some  time  was  spent  in  drill  and  guard  duty. 


*  Neither  did  it  end  with  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.     The  Twelfth  served  in  the  Spanish  war  of  1898. 


348  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Leaving  Company  A  on  duty  at  the  fort,  the  regiment  moved  to  Harper's 
Ferry,  where  it  joined  Colonel  Miles'  command,  then  a  part  of  the  Eighth 
Corps.  This  corps  was  under  the  command  of  Gen.  John  E.  Wool,  with  head 
quarters  at  Baltimore.  By  daily,  unremitting  drill  and  faithful  instruction,  the 
Twelfth  soon  established  a  reputation  for  efficiency  second  to  none  in  the  gar 
rison.  When  its  term  of  enlistment  expired,  the  men  were  asked  to  remain 
for  the  defence  of  that  important  post  during  the  Antietam  campaign,  and  they 
gallantly  volunteered  their  services  for  the  exigency.  With  Lee's  invasion 
of  Maryland,  Harper's  Ferry  was  surrounded  and  besieged  by  Stonewall  Jack 
son's  forces.  Colonel  Ward  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  brigade, 
leaving  Lieutenant  Colonel  Satterless  in  charge  of  the  regiment.  In  the  fighting 
that  ensued  during  the  siege,  the  Twelfth  was  stationed  on  Camp  Hill  in  sup 
port  of  a  battery.  Two  howitzers  were  gallantly  served  by  a  detachment  tinder- 
Captain  Acorn  of  Company  I.  During  the  prolonged,  heavy  shelling  of  the 
place  the  men  evinced  a  gallantry  and  steadiness  under  fire  which  elicited  praise 
from  all  who  observed  their  conduct.  When  the  capitulation  occurred  the 
Twelfth  was  included  in  the  surrender,  and  30  officers  and  530  men  marched 
out  as  prisoners  of  war.  The  regiment  having  been  paroled  was  mustered 
out  at  New  York,  October  12,  1862,  and  declared  exchanged  on  January  12, 
1863. 

In  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  when  the  news  came  that  Lee's  Army  was 
marching  through  Pennsylvania,  the  Twelfth  was  again  called  upon  to  respond 
to  the  emergency.  On  June  18,  1863,  it  was  ordered  to  Harrisburg,  and, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Ward,  left  the  city  on  the  2oth  with  ten  com 
panies,  820  strong. 

On  arriving  at  the  front  the  regiment  was  assigned  to  Yates's  Brigade, 
Dana's  Division,  Couch's  Corps,  a  command  made  up  entirely  of  emergency 
troops.  Brigaded  with  the  Twelfth  were  the  Fifth,  Thirteenth,  and  Forty- 
seventh  New  York  Militia.  In  Lee's  retreat  from  Gettysburg  the  Twelfth  was 
in  the  column  which  pressed  closely  on  the  rear  of  the  defeated  Confederates. 
After  marching  to  Chambersburg  and  Greencastle  the  news  of  the  draft  riots  in 
New  York  was  received  and  the  regiment  was  recalled  hurriedly  to  the  city, 
where  it  rendered  valuable  and  timely  assistance  during  those  perilous  days. 
On  July  20,  1863,  it  was  mustered  out,  and  re-entered  the  State  service.  Its 
campaigns  in  that  war  were  over. 

During  the  many  years  of  peace  which  have  since  elapsed  the  Twelfth  has 
preserved  its  organization  and  its  efficiency.  Whenever,  in  time  of  riot  and 
disorder,  the  safety  of  the  community  has  required  its  services  it  has  always 
responded  promptly.  The  past  record  of  the  regiment  is  a  long  and  honorable 
one.  May  the  future  add  to  its  laurels! 


TWELFTH  NEW  YORK  VOLUNTEERS. 

The  first  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  troops,  in  April,  1861,  met  with  a 
ready  response  from  the  patriotic  young  men  of  Onondaga  County,  who  hast 
ened  to  enroll  themselves  for  the  defence  of  the  National  Government  and  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  349 

flag.  The  Fifty-first  Militia,  an  Onondaga  County  regiment,  immediately  ten 
dered  its  services  to  Governor  Morgan  for  three  months,  but  the  governor,  un 
der  the  Act  of  April  16,  1861,  was  not  authorized  to  accept  militia,  and  so 
the  men  proceeded  to  organize  a  regiment  of  volunteers. 

Seven  companies  were  recruited  immediately  in  Onondaga  County,  six  of 
which  were  raised  in  Syracuse.  The  regiment  was  completed  by  the  addition 
of  three  companies  which  came  from  Canastota,  Batavia  and  Homer.  The 
ten  companies  were  accepted  by  the  State  Military  Board  for  a  term  of  two 
years,  after  which  they  were  ordered  to  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  where  they  arrived  May 
2d.  Comfortable  quarters  were  assigned  them  in  barracks,  which  had  formerly 
been  used  as  a  barrel  factory.  On  May  8th,  the  organization  was  designated  by 
the  State  authorities  as  the  Twelfth  New  York  Volunteers,  and  on  the  I3th  it 
was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  for  three  months  by  Capt. 
W.  L.  Elliott,  U.  S.  A. 

Two  days  after  the  arrival  at  Elmira  an  irregular  election  was  held  at 
which  Ezra  L.  Walrath  was  chosen  colonel,  James  L.  Graham,  lieutenant  colo 
nel,  and  John  Lewis  major.  This  choice  of  officers  was  subsequently  ap 
proved  by  the  State  officials  and  commissions  were  issued  accordingly.  At 
this  time  the  total  strength  of  the  regiment  was  785  officers  and  men. 

The  Twelfth  left  Elmira,  May  29th,  and  proceeding  by  the  Northern  Central 
Railroad,  throughWilliamsport,  Harrisburg,  and  Baltimore,  arrived  at  Wash 
ington  the  next  day.  It  marched  to  East  Capitol  Hill,  where  it  erected  quarters 
which  received  the  name  of  Camp  Onondaga.  The  ensuing  six  weeks  were 
spent  in  drill,  instruction,  guard  duty,  and  in  preparation  for  the  active  cam 
paign  which  all  knew  must  soon  commence.  The  men  were  armed  with  the 
old-fashioned  United  States  percussion  muskets,  model  of  1842,  calibre  69, 
and  wore  a  gray  uniform. 

Having  been  assigned  to  Richardson's  Brigade,  of  Tyler's  Division,  the  regi 
ment  marched,  July  loth,  to  Chain  Bridge.  Leaving  Vienna  on  the  i/th,  the 
brigade  started  on  the  march  which  culminated  in  the  memorable  battle  of 
Bull  Run.  On  the  iSth  it  was  engaged  in  the  preliminary  action  at  Black 
burn's  Ford,  an  affair  which  was  confined  to  the  troops  of  Richardson's  Brigade. 
During  the  course  of  the  engagement  the  Twelfth  New  York  was  ordered 
to  advance  through  a  piece  of  woods  and  drive  out  the  enemy.  In  executing 
this  movement  it  suddenly  encountered  a  severe  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery 
from  the  Confederate  troops  which  were  posted  in  a  concealed  and  advantageous 
position.  The  most  of  the  Twelfth  was  driven  back  by  this  fire  and  retreated 
some  distance  in  confusion;  but,  two  of  the  companies,  A  and  I,  remained  on 
the  line  and  gallantly  maintained  the  unequal  contest.  In  this,  the  first  battle 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  Twelfth  New  York  sustained  a  loss  of  thirty- 
four  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  Three  days  later  the  battle  of  Bull  Run 
was  fought,  but  in  this  engagement  the  regiment  supported  a  battery  and  was 
not  actively  engaged. 

The  thirty-eight  infantry  regiments  first  organized  in  New  York  were  all 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service  for  two  years,  except  the  Twelfth  which 
was  sworn  in  for  three  months  only,  the  same  as  the  militia  regiments.  In 
August,  1861,  at  the  expiration  of  the  three  months,  many  of  the  soldiers  insisted 


250  NEW   YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

upon  their  discharge.  But  the  regiment  when  organized  had  enlisted  in  the 
service  of  the  State  of  New  York  for  two  years,  and  so  the  governor  issued 
a  special  order  (No.  321,  August  2,  1861)  by  which  the  men  were  held  at  the 
front  for  the  remainder  of  that  term.  This  arrangement  created  much  dis 
content  among  the  men. 

Colonel  Walrath  resigned  September  26,  1861.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Graham 
had  already  resigned  in  June.  In  October,  Major  Lewis  was  killed  by  a  fall 
from  his  horse.  The  regiment,  which  never  had  been  recruited  to  the  maxi 
mum  required  by  army  regulations,  had  decreased  rapidly  in  numbers  through 
sickness  and  discharges  granted  for  disabilities.  On  February  3,  1862,  it  was 
consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  five  companies, —  A,  C,  H,  I,  and  K.  Lieut. 
Col.  Robert  M.  Richardson,  a  gallant  and  capable  officer  who  succeeded 
Graham,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  battalion.  Maj.  Henry  A.  Barnum  who 
succeeded  Major  Lewis  on  the  death  of  that  officer,  retained  his  position. 

On  February  8th  the  battalion  of  five  companies  recruited  from  the  old 
Twelfth  Militia,  under  command  of  Col.  Henry  A.  Weeks,  was  added,  and  the 
Twelfth  New  York  Volunteers  became  once  more  a  ten  company  organization 
and  with  full  ranks.  It  now  had  an  aggregate  strength  of  1,040.  Colonel 
Weeks  was  placed  in  command. 

During  the  winter  of  1861-62,  the  Twelfth  was  stationed  in  the  vicinity  of 
Washington,  where  it  occupied  Forts  Ramsay,  Tillinghast,  Craig,  and  Buffalo. 
On  March  13,  1862,  it  was  assigned  to  ButterfiekFs  Brigade,  Porter's  Division, 
Heintzelman's  (Third)  Corps,  and  many  of  the  men,  who  had  served  in  the 
Twelfth  Militia,  found  themselves  again  following  the  fotrunes  of  their  former 
commander. 

On  the  22d  the  regiment  embarked  at  Alexandria  for  the  Peninsular  cam 
paign.  Landing  at  Fort  Monroe  the  next  day,  it  marched  to  Yorktown  where 
it  participated  in  the  siege  operations  around  that  place.  On  the  evacuation 
the  brigade  embarked  on  transports  and  sailed  up  the  York  River  to  West 
Point  where  the  troops  landed  and  remained  a  few  days.  Then  came  the  march 
through  mud  and  rain  to  the  White  House,  on  the  Pamunkey  River,  a  move 
ment  long  remembered  for  its  toil  and  discomfort. 

On  May  i8th  (1861),  the  Fifth  Corps  was  formed  by  taking  Porter's  Division 
away  from  the  Third  Corps,  and  uniting  with  it  Sykes's  Division  of  regular 
troops.  The  Twelfth  New  York  thus  became  a  part  of  the  Fifth  Corps  in 
which  it  remained  during  the  rest  of  its  service.  Butterfield's  Brigade,  now 
the  Third  Brigade  of  Morell's  (First)  Division,  was  composed  of  the  follow 
ing  regiments: 

1 2th  New  York,  Col.  Henry  A.  Weeks. 

I7th  New  York,  Col.  Henry  S.  Lansing. 

44th  New  York,  Col.  Stephen  W.  Stryker. 

1 6th  Michigan,  Col.  T.  B.  W.  Stockton. 

83d    Pennsylvania,  Col.  John  W.  McLane. 

Colonel  Butterfield  was  a  strict  disciplinarian,  and,  at  times,  the  men  were 
disposed  to  grumble  over  the  thoroughness  with  which  he  enforced  the  rules 
and  regulations.  At  the  same  time  they  admired  and  respected  their  briga- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  351 

dier  as  was  plainly  evinced  by  the  good-natured  way  in  which  they  sang  their 
accompaniment  of 


| 


Dan.      Dan.     Dan  But  'ter  field,  But  ter  field. 

when  his  bugler  sounded  the  peculiar  call  of  the  Third  Brigade.  Sometimes 
the  call  interfered  with  their  wishes  or  comfort,  and  then  the  sturdy  fellows 
would  change  the  letter  n  in  Dan's  name  to  an  m,  and  sing  it  accordingly. 

The  army  moved  nearer  Richmond,  and  on  May  26th  Porter's  Corps  rested 
on  the  Chickahominy  near  Gaines's  Mill.  Here  Porter  was  ordered  on  an 
expedition  to  cut  the  Fredericksburg  and  Richmond  Railroad,  and  disperse 
the  Confederate  troops  concentrated  at  Hanover  Court  House  under  com 
mand  of  General  Branch.  In  the  course  of  this  movement  Morell's  Division 
fought  a  bloody  battle  on  May  27th,  in  which  Butterfield's  Brigade  was  promi 
nently  engaged. 

Maj.  Thomas  E.  Morris  in  his  interesting  article,  "  From  Hanover  to  Malvern 
Hill,"  gives  an  account  of  the  fight  near  Hanover  Court  House,  and  in  the  course 
of  his  narrative  says : 

"  General  Morell,  commanding  the  First  Division,  comprising  the  brigades 
of  Martindale,  Griffin,  and  Butterfield,  was  to  move  from  New  Bridge  and 
attack  the  enemy  in  front,  while  General  Warren  from  Old  Church,  moving 
by  the  Hanover  Road,  was  to  strike  his  flank  and  rear.  Late  on  the  evening 
of  the  26th,  after  tattoo,  regimental  orders  were  received  to  march  with  three 
days'  cooked  rations,  forming  on  the  color  line  the  following  morning  at  3 
o'clock.  The  rain  falling  in  torrents  made  cooking  almost  impossible;  so,  when 
the  men  fell  in,  their  haversacks  were  but  scantily  filled.  Promptly  at  3  a.  m., 
on  the  27th,  the  lines  were  formed  in  full  marching  order,  standing  hour  after 
hour  in  cold  downpouring  rain,  awaiting  the  tardy  movements  of  the  First 
Brigade.  At  7  a.  m.,  leaving  tents  standing  and  camp  in  order,  under  proper 
guard,  the  division  moved  out.  The  roads  were  nearly  impassable  from  the 
heavy  rains,  but  the  men  toiled  on  through  drenching  torrents,  water,  and 
mud.  At  10  o'clock  the  rain  ceased,  the  sun  breaking  through  the  clouds 
with  intense  heat.  Soaked  blankets,  overcoats,  and  shelter-tents  were  cast 
off  to  lighten  the  load  and  make  marching  more  endurable.  Numbers  over 
come  by  heat  and  fatigue  dropped  by  the  wayside  utterly  exhausted.  At 
noon  the  distant  booming  of  the  cannon  told  that  General  Emory  was  engaged. 
As  the  Third  Brigade  approached  the  junction  of  the  Ashland  with  the  New 
Bridge  Road,  the  increased  roar  and  crashing  of  shells  among  the  trees  an 
nounced  that  we  were  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy.  The  wounded  of  our 
advance  were  being  carried  back  to  the  field  hospital,  a  mile  from  the  junction. 
The  Third  Brigade,  with  the  exception  of  the  Forty-fourth  New  York,  which, 
with  a  portion  of  Martindale's  command,  had  been  left  to  guard  the  rear,  was 
immediately  ordered  forward  to  attack  the  lines  of  battle  in  Kinney's  Field. 

"  General  Butterfield  moved  the  brigade  across  the  road  to  the  woods,  halted 
them,  threw  off  blankets,  knapsacks  and  shelter-tents,  advanced  through  the 
woods  400  yards  and  beyond  a  fence  at  its  farther  border,  in  full  view  of  the 


3^2  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

enemy,  again  halted,  and  carefully  formed  for  attack  in  two  lines,  the  Eighty- 
third  Pennsylvania  and  Seventeenth  New  York  in  first  line,  the  Sixteenth 
Michigan  and  Twelfth  New  York  in  close  column  by  division  in  second.  This 
formation  and  advance  with  fixed  bayonets  was  almost  an  exact  repetition  of 
our  field  drills  on  Hall's  Hill  in  the  fall  of  '61.  It  flashed  across  the  minds  of 
many  of  us  instantly, —  here  we  are  with  the  real  thing.  The  bugle  call,  "  For 
ward,"  was  sounded  by  General  Butterfield  in  person,  and,  in  perfect  order, 
ranks  dressed  with  all  the  precision  of  dress  parade  or  review,  the  right  and 
left  general  and  color  guides  taking  direction,  in  exact  time,  with  cadenced 
step,  the  lines  advanced.  The  enemy's  fire  opened  at  short  range,  plunging 
shell  and  canister  in  the  close  ranks.  Silently,  and  in  accordance  with  the  orders 
and  directions  personally  given  by  General  Butterfield,  without  firing  a  shot  i.i 
return,  the  lines  moved  grandly  on,  with  no  check  or  falter,  the  perfect  forma 
tion  never  for  a  moment  broken,  with  eyes  directed  to  the  front,  every  step 
in  exact  time,  flags  flying,  the  sunshine  flashing  from  thousands  of  glittering 
bayonets,  and  with  all  the  '  pomp  and  circumstance  of  war,'  the  glorious  line 
swept  fearlessly  on. 

"  It  was  a  grand  and  glorious  spectacle  of  war  that  will  never,  never  be 
forgotten  by  any  soldier  that  participated.  With  his  black  moustache  seeming 
to  be  larger  and  more  fierce  than  ever,  his  rosy  cheeks,  his  erect  and  martial 
figure,  our  young  general  looked  the  very  picture  of  delight  and  eagerness, 
as  with  his  sword  he  pointed  at  the  glistening  line  of  bayonets  and  the  Hash 
of  the  enemy's  cannon  in  front,  and  commanded  with  his  clear,  strong,  firm 
voice,  heard  above  the  roar  of  the  enemy's  fire,  '  Steady,  men;  forward.'  Over 
the  stiffening  forms  of  the  dead  skirmishers,  lying  with  pale,  upturned  faces;  on, 
passing  wheat-stacks,  down  one  slope  and  up  another  without  a  pause,  to  where 
the  enemy's  lines  of  battle  and  the  battery  stood  in  the  uncut  wheat  beyond, 
their  guns  glistening  in  the  sun;  but  without  waiting  to  receive  the  mighty 
blow,  the  enemy  abandoned  his  artillery  and  falling  back,  was  now  in  full 
retreat.  Our  brigade  then  halted  to  secure  prisoners  and  guns,  the  first  and 
only  artillery  captured  in  the  field  and  under  fire  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
in  the  Peninsular  campaign, —  a  glorious  trophy  and  reminiscence  for  Butter- 
field's  Brigade.  Again,  pressing  forward,  no  halt  was  made  in  the  pursuit 
until  Hanover  Station  was  reached." 

The  battle,  however,  was  not  over,  and  the  men  had  scarcely  time  to  rest 
when  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  the  assistance  of  Martindale's  command 
which  was  being  hard  pressed  by  an  attack  from  the  rear.  Butterfield's 
troops  gallantly  re-entered  the  fight  and  contributed  materially  to  the  victory 
which  followed.  In  this  second  period  of  the  battle  the  Forty-fourth  New 
York,  which  was  assisting  Martindale's  Brigade,  suffered  a  severe  loss.  The 
Twelfth,  under  command  of  Colonel  Weeks,  conducted  itself  with  steadiness 
and  gallantry  during  the  entire  action;  but,  owing  to  its  position  it  did  not 
encounter  any  severe  fire,  and  hence  sustained  but  few- casualties. 

General  Butterfield  won  his  spurs  in  this  battle  in  a  double  sense.  The 
field  officers  of  his  brigade,  in  testimony  of  their  appreciation  of  the  courage 
and  generalship  displayed  by  him  at  Hanover  Court  House,  presented  him 
%vith^  a  pair  of  gold  spurs,  Lieut.  Col.  Strong  Vincent,  of  the  Eighty-third, 
making  the  presentation  speech. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  353 

The  day  following  the  battle  was  spent  in  gathering-  the  fruits  of  the  victory 
and  burying  the  dead,  after  which  the  division  returned  to  its  camp  at  Gaines's 
Mill.  The  ensuing  month  was  passed  in  drill  and  picket  duty,  and  then  the 
movement  of  the  army  to  the  James  River  commenced. 

At  the  battle  of  Gaines's  Mill,  June  27th,  the  Twelfth  New  York,  under  com 
mand  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Richardson  was  hotly  engaged,  and  acquitted  it 
self  with  honor,  receiving  high  commendation  in  the  official  reports.  For  three 
long  hours  the  brigade  withstood  firmly  the  repeated  attacks  of  superior  num 
bers,  retiring  only  when  nearly  surrounded  by  the  enemy.  The  regiment  car 
ried  538  officers  and  men  into  action,  of  which  number  it  lost  n  killed,  66 
wounded  (including  the  mortally  wounded),  and  .54  missing;  total,  131.  Many 
of  those  reported  missing  were  killed,  as  was  subsequently  ascertained.  Among 
the  killed  were  Lieutenants  Henry  C.  Birton  and  Edward  M.  Fisher.  The 
latter  was  an  aide  on  the  brigade  staff,  and  received  the  fatal  shot  while  he 
was  in  the  act  of  delivering  an  order  to  the  colonel  of  the  Eighty-third. 

General  Butterfiekl,  in  his  official  report  for  Gaines's  Mill,  makes  honor 
able  mention  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Richardson  and  Major  Barnum.  In  his 
regimental  report  Richardson  says :  "  The  whole  battle  and  all  the  movements 
of  our  regiment  were  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  the  general,  whose 
soldierly,  confident  bearing  as  he  rode  along  our  lines  gave  encouragement 
and  spirit  to  my  entire  command.  The  officers  behaved  handsomely  and  were 
constantly  encouraging  their  men  to  a  vigorous  fight.  The  gallantry  of  Major 
Barnum  gave  life  and  spirit  to  all.  Captains  Randall  and  Hoagland,  though 
sick  in  camp,  hearing  the  firing,  joined  the  regiment  and  did  good  service 
in  the  engagement  and  retreat.  Captains  Wood,  Huson,  and  Fowler,  Lieu 
tenants  Estes,  Behan,  Auer,  and  Smith  acted  bravely.  There  were  many  in 
stances  of  real  bravery  exhibited  by  the  non-commissioned  officers  and  pri 
vates,  but  I  cannot  mention  them  by  name  now,  but  will  do  so  when  appoint 
ments  are  to  be  made.  Allow  me  here  to  mention  with  approbation  the  con 
duct  of  Quartermaster  Sergeant  Hilton,  who,  after  riding  up  and  down  the 
ranks  encouraging  the  men,  dismounted,  took  a  musket,  went  into  the  ranks, 
and  did  good  service  as  a  soldier." 

For  his  heroic  and  able  services  in  this  battle,  General  Butterfield  was  awarded 
a  Medal  of  Honor  by  the  War  Department. 

Four  days  later,  on  July  ist,  the  regiment  participated  with  the  brigade  in 
the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill.  In  this  action  it  numbered  407,  all  told,  and  was 
still  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Richardson.  Marching  to  a  point 
on  the  left  where  some  heavy  fighting  had  occurred,  the  Twelfth  relieved  the 
Fourth  Michigan,  and  then,  at  6  in  the  evening,  made  a  gallant  charge  up  a 
steep  slope,  from  whose  summit  it  drove  the  enemy  back  into  his  rifle  pits  at 
short  musket-range  beyond,  the  Michigan  men  cheering  them  on  and,  with 
some  of  their  number,  joining  in  the  charge.  The  regiment  held  this  position, 
continuing  its  fire  about  an  hour,  and  then,  darkness  coming  on,  it  was  with 
drawn.  In  this  famous  battle  the  regiment  lost  n  killed,  55  wounded,  and  4 
missing;  total,  70. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Richardson  wh  ocommanded  it  so  ably  and  gallantly  in 
this  fighting,  says  in  the  course  of  his  official  report:  "  On  the  summit  of  the 

23 


354 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


hill  the  gallant  and  lamented  Barnum  fell,  mortally  wounded,  while  cheering 
on  our  men  to  victory.  The  color  bearers  of  the  enemy  fell  four  times  during 
the  engagement  from  our  fire,  and  at  one  time  he  displayed  the  American 
colors.  Our  officers  and  men  exhibited  great  coolness  and  courage  during  the 
fight.  Captains  Wood,  Fowler,  Root,  Hoagland,  and  Huson  rendered  important 
service,  and  seemed  to  redouble  their  efforts  after  the  fall  of  the  major,  who 
was  the  life  of  all.  Captain  Fowler  aided  me  very  much  in  encouraging  the 
men,  continually  passing  along  the  lines  from  right  to  left.  Captain  Root  was 
wounded  during  the  action.  Lieutenants  Ludden,  Stanton,  Behan,  Clark,  Bates, 
Smith,  and  May  behaved  handsomely,  and  were  constantly  at  their  posts. 
Blackburn's  Ford  had  fixed  a  stain  upon  the  reputation  of  the  regiment,  and 
every  one  was  determined  to  wipe  it  out.  The  same  general  that  censured 
there,  commended  here." 

Major  Barnum's  wounds  were  not  fatal  as  supposed  at  the  time.  He  was 
reported  as  dead,  and  many  sincere  regrets  were  expressed  in  the  official 
reports  and  elsewhere  at  what  was  deemed  an  irreparable  loss.  But  he  sur 
vived  to  fight  again  and  win  high  honor  on  other  fields. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  remained  in  camp  at  Harrison's  Landing,  on 
the  James  River,  during  the  ensuing  six  weeks,  in  which  the  regiment  had 
an  opportunity  to  rest  and  recuperate.  On  August  I4th  the  withdrawal  of 
the  army  from  the  Peninsular  commenced.  Marching  through  Williams- 
burg  and  Yorktown,  the  brigade  reached  Newport  News  on  the  iQth,  where 
the  troops  embarked  for  Aquia  Creek.  From  there  they  moved  by  rail  to 
Fredericksburg  and  thence  to  Manassas  Junction,  arriving  there  on  the  28th. 
A  general  engagement  had  already  commenced  in  that  vicinity  between  the 
armies  of  Pope  and  Jackson,  and  on  the  2Qth  Morell's  Division  went  into 
position  on  the  left  flank  of  the  Union  forces. 

Leaving  its  place  of  bivouac  at  daybreak  of  Saturday,  August  3Oth,  without 
supper  the  previous  evening  or  breakfast  that  morning,  the  regiment  marched 
seven  miles  to  the  old  battlefield  of  Bull  Run,  where  one  year  before  it  had 
fought  in  the  first  battle  of  the  war,  and  where  before  night  it  was  to  pass 
through  a  still  more  terrible  and  bloody  ordeal.  The  division  marched  on  the 
battle-ground  at  Manassas  early  in  the  morning,  and,  passing  to  the  front  of 
Sigel's  Corps,  deployed  its  lines.  General  Butterfield  being  temporarily  in 
command  of  the  division,  Colonel  Weeks,  who  had  returned  to  the  regiment, 
assumed  charge  of  the  brigade,  as  the  senior  and  ranking  officer  present. 

During  the  forenoon  the  regiment  was  under  a  severe  artillery  fire,  but  with 
little  injury  as  the  men  lay  in  a  sheltered  place.  In  the  afternoon,  about  5 
o'clock,  the  brigade  advanced  through  a  piece  of  woods  and  went  into  action, 
where  it  maintained  various  positions  until  forced  to  retire  on  account  of  the 
withdrawal  of  the  supporting  troops  on  its  flanks.  In  this  fighting  the  Twelfth 
encountered  a  severe  fire  from  the  enemy's  infantry  ^which  were  protected  by 
a  ridge  while  it  was  occupying  an  exposed  position  in  an  open  field.  At  the 
close  of  the  battle  the  brigade  fell  back  to  Centreville,  where  it  covered  the 
retreat  of  Pope's  army  to  Washington.  In  this  engagement  the  regiment 
lost  143  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  out  of  16  officers  and  336  men  present 
for  duty  that  morning.  Colonel  Weeks  was  among  the  wounded.  He  was 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  355 

shot  through  both  legs,  and  received  also  a  severe  concussion  from  the  ex 
plosion  of  a  shell.  He  was  carried  from  the  field,  and  Colonel  Rice',  of  the 
Forty-fourth,  succeeded  him  in  command  of  the  brigade. 

Captain  Root,  of  Company  K,  who  commanded  the  regiment,  was  wounded 
early  in  the  action,  whereupon  his  duties  devolved  on  Captain  Huson,  who 
led  it  fearlessly  during  the  battle.  In  his  official  report  the  latter  praises  Captain 
Fowler  who  was  wounded,  but  refused  to  leave  the  field,  and  commends,  as 
"  examples  of  bravery  and  coolness,"  Adjutant  Watson,  Lieutenants  Oliver, 
Estes,  Bates,  Behan,  Auer,  and  Smith,  and  Color  Bearer  Fairnie. 

After  a  few  days  of  much  needed  rest  the  regiment  started,  September  8th, 
with  McClellan's  army  on  the  march  through  Maryland  to  the  battlefield  of 
Antietam.  In  that  engagement  the  Fifth  Corps  was  held  in  reserve  and  was 
not  actively  engaged.  In  the  pursuit  of  Lee's  defeated  army  the  regiment 
participated  in  the  skirmish  at  Shepherdstown  Ford,  on  the  I9th,  where  it 
sustained  some  loss. 

The  Fifth  Corps  accompanied  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  on  its  marches  and 
subsequent  movements  through  Virginia  to  the  occupation  of  Falmouth  Heights 
on  the  Rappahannock  River.  The  corps  was  now  commanded  by  General 
Butterfield,  the  division  by  General  Griffin,  and  the  brigade  by  Colonel  Stockton, 
of  the  Sixteenth  Michigan.  The  brigade  had  in  the  meantime  been  increased 
by  the  accession  of  the  Twentieth  Maine,  a  fine  regiment  under  command  of 
Col.  Adelbert  Ames,  an  officer  who  in  later  campaigns  became  one  of  the 
renowned  generals  of  the  war. 

On  the  afternoon  of  December  13,  1862,  the  Twelfth  New  York,  under 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Richardson,  crossed  the  river  with  its  brigade  over  the 
lower  pontoon  bridge  and  marching  into  Fredericksburg  formed  line  of  battle 
in  rear  of  the  town.  Just  before  sunset  the  brigade  bugler  sounded  the  ad 
vance,  and  the  line  moved  forward,  up  the  slopes,  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  or 
more,  under  a  heavy  fire  of  bursting  shell  and  musketry,  taking  the  position 
as  ordered.  Darkness  soon  followed,  but  the  brigade  held  the  position  during 
the  night  and  the  following  day.  On  the  I5th  the  army  recrossed  the  river 
and  the  troops  returned  to  their  camps. 

In  this  battle  the  Twelfth,  though  small  in  numbers,  behaved  with  commend 
able  spirit  and  helped  sustain  the  gallant  reputation  of  the  old  brigade.  They 
suffered  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Capt.  William  D.  Hoagland,  who  was 
killed  in  this  battle.  He  had  served  with  conspicuous  ability  from  the  com 
mencement  of  the  war,  having  been  a  member  of  the  old  Twelfth  Militia. 
During  the  severe  shelling  on  the  I3th  he  was  lying  down  with  the  reserves, 
but  raising  his  head  to  give  some  instructions  to  his  men  a  bullet  struck  him 
under  the  eye  inflicting  a  mortal  wound.  His  last  words  were,  "  How  beauti 
ful  the  sun  goes  down."  He  was  buried  on  the  field,  but  his  body  was  ex 
humed  a  few  days  after  and  sent  to  his  relatives  in  New  York. 

Throughout  the  winter  of  1862-63  the  Twelfth  was  encamped  with  the  rest 
of  the  brigade  at  Stoneman's  Switch,  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  engaged  in  an  un 
eventful  round  of  camp  and  picket  duty.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Richardson  re 
signed  February  6,  1863.  On  his  return  he  engaged  in  the  work  of  raising 


356  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

the  Fifteenth  New  York  Cavalry,  a  regiment  in  which  he  served  as  colonel 
during  the  rest  of  the  war. 

The  Twelfth  had  now  become  so  reduced  by  disease,  wounds,  and  death,  that 
it  numbered  only  317  present  for  duty,  with  268  absent.  On  May  i,  1863,  the 
five  companies,  containing  the  two-year  men  of  the  original  Onondaga  regi 
ment,  left  the  field,  their  term  of  enlistment  having  expired,  and  returned  to 
Syracuse,  where  they  were  greeted  with  an  enthusiastic  and  flattering  reception. 

Of  the  five  remaining  companies  left  at  the  front,  one  ("  E ")  had  been 
detailed  as  provost  guard  at  corps  headquarters,  its  commanding  officer,  Capt. 
Henry  W.  Ryder,  being  provost  marshal  of  the  corps.  The  four  other  com 
panies,  under  Captain  Huson,  marched  away  to  Chancellorsville  with  the 
Fifth  Corps,  which  was  now  commanded  by  Gen.  George  G.  Meade,  Butter- 
field  having  been  designated  as  chief  of  staff  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  brigade  left  its  camps  near  Falmouth  on  the  morning  of  April  27th. 
Crossing  the  Rappahannock  on  pontoons  at  Kelly's  Ford  and  wading  the  Rapi- 
dan  at  Ely's  Ford  it  arrived  at  Chancellorsville  about  n  o'clock  on  the  fore 
noon  of  the  3oth.  The  four  companies  of  the  Twelfth  Battalion  were  sent  to 
the  United  States  Ford,  on  the  Rappahannock,  to  disperse  a  small  force  of 
Confederates  on  picket  there,  and  open  communication  with  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river.  This  service  having  been  performed  the  battalion  returned  to 
Chancellorsville  the  next  day.  The  Third  Brigade  occupied  various  positions 
during  the  battle  which  ensued,  rendering  effective  assistance,  but  without 
becoming  seriously  engaged,  and  on  the  6th  acted  as  rear  guard  of  the  army 
in  its  retreat.  Marching  through  rain  and  tnud  the  tired  and  defeated  columns 
recrossed  the  Rappahannock  at  the  United  States  Ford,  and  returned  to  their 
camps. 

The  five  companies  of  the  Twelfth,  owing  to  their  reduced  numbers,  were 
now  consolidated  into  two,  D  and  E.  Captain  Huson  was  mustered  out 
May  17,  1863,  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service,  and  Captain  Ryder 
succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  two  companies,  which  were  assigned  to 
duty  as  a  provost  guard  at  Fifth  Corps  headquarters. 

These  two  companies  were  present  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  where  they 
rendered  meritorious  services  in  their  line  of  duty.  Though  they  sustained  no 
loss  during  the  battle,  they  were  exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire  in  the  course  of 
their  movements  much  more  than  some  commands  that  appear  in  the  report 
of  losses. 

And  yet,  the  Twelfth  New  York  was  well  represented  in  the  casualty  lists, 
for  there  were  three  generals  on  that  field  who  had  previously  served  in  the 
old  Twelfth,  each  of  whom  was  wounded, —  Generals  Sickles,  Butterfield,  and 
Barlow;  and  on  Gulp's  Hill  the  gallant  Barnum,  formerly  major  of  the  Twelfth 
Volunteers,  was  doing  some  grand  fighting  as  colonel  of  the  One  hundred  and 
forty-ninth  New  York.  The  Twelfth  New  York  was  ,at  Gettysburg  in  more 
capacities  than  one;  and  in  the  brilliant,  soldierly  qualities  displayed  by  these 
famous  officers,  one  naturally  recurs  to  their  early  service  in  the  training  school 
of  the  old  Twelfth  Militia. 

The  battalion  was  held  in  such  high  favor  at  corps  headquarters  that  it  was 
retained  on  that  duty  during  the  rest  of  its  service.  Its  efSciency  was  further 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  357 

recognized  by  the  promotion  of  Captain  Ryder  to  the  rank  of  major.  The 
two  companies  participated  in  the  Wilderness  campaign  under  General  Grant, 
and  were  present  at  the  battles  of  Spotsylvania,  North  Anna,  To  topotomoy, 
Bethesda  Church,  and  Cold  Harbor. 

On  June  2,  1864,  the  battalion  was  transferred  to  the  Fifth  New  York 
Veteran  Volunteers,  after  which  its  history  is  merged  in  the  record  of  that 
command.  Major  Ryder  was  promoted  to  the  lieutenant  colonelcy  of  the  Fifth 
with  rank  from  date  of  transfer.  The  officers  and  men  of  the  Twelfth  Bat 
talion  served  with  the  Fifth  New  York  until  the  close  of  the  war  and  shared 
in  the  honors  of  Appomattox.  Capt.  William  S.  Woods,  who  commanded  one 
of  the  companies  in  the  headquarters  battalion,  fell  at  the  battle  of  the  Weldon 
Railroad,  a  hotly  contested  fight,  in  which  he  was  killed  by  a  bayonet  thrust. 

The  Fifth  New  York  was  mustered  out  August  21,  1865,  and  the  little  rem 
nant  of  the  Twelfth,  part  of  whom  had  fought  from  Bulf  Run  to  Appomattox, 
returned  to  their  homes  to  enjoy  the  honors  due  their  long  and  eventful  service. 
The  battle-stained  colors  which  had  waved  amid  the  smoke  of  so  many  historic 
fields  were  furled,  and  the  veterans  laid  aside  their  arms  confident  that  history 
would  accord  an  honored  place  to  the  name  of  the  Twelfth  New  York. 


358  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.') 

44ra  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 

SRD  BRIG.  IST  DIV. 

FIFTH  CORPS. 

(Reverse.) 

THE  44TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY,  LIEUT.  COLONEL  FREEMAN  CONNOR, 

COMMANDING,  HELD  POSITION  ABOUT  100  FEET  IN  ADVANCE  OF 

THIS  MONUMENT,  DESIGNATED  BY  A  MARKER,  FROM  ABOUT  5  P.  M. 

JULY  2,  TO  ABOUT  II  A.  M.  JULY  3,  1863. 

NUMBER  ENGAGED  313. 

CASUALTIES. 

KILLED, —  2  OFFICERS,  24  ENLISTED  MEN. 

WOUNDED, —  5  OFFICERS  (OF  WHICH  ONE  DIED)  75  ENLISTED 

MEN  (OF  WHICH  TEN  DIED). 

TOTAL  LOSS,  106. 

AT  NOON  OF  JULY  3,  WAS  PLACED  IN  RESERVE  TO  THE  RIGHT  OF 
LITTLE  ROUND  TOP  WHERE  IT  REMAINED  UNTIL  THE  CLOSE 

OF  THE  BATTLE. 
THE  44TH  NEW  YORK  LNFANTRY  WAS  ORGANIZED  AT  ALBANY,  N.  Y., 

AUGUST  STH--OCTOBER  21,   1861.     NUMBER  ENLISTED,   1096. 
ASSIGNED  TO  BRIGADE  COMMANDED  BY  GENERAL  DANIEL  BUTTERFIELD  — 

SUBSEQUENTLY  KNOWN   AS  3D   BRIG.    IST   DlV.    5TH   CORPS,   A.   P. 

IN  OCTOBER  1862,  TWO  FULL  COMPANIES,  ONE  OF  ALBANY  STATE 
NORMAL  SCHOOL  STUDENTS,  AND  THE  OTHER  FROM  YATES  Co.,  N.  Y. 
WERE  ADDED.    TOTAL  ENROLLMENT,  1585. 

ENGAGEMENTS. 
YORKTOWN,  HANOVER  COURT  HOUSE,  GAINES'  MILL,  MALVERN  HILL, 

GROVETON,  ANTIETAM,  SHEPHERDSTOWN  FORD,  FREDERICKSBURG, 

CHANCELLORSVILLE,  MIDDLEBURG,  GETTYSBURG,  JONES'  CROSS  ROADS, 

RAPPAHANNOCK  STATION,  MINE  RUN,  WILDERNESS,  SPOTSYLVANIA, 

NORTH  ANNA,  BETHESDA  CHURCH,  COLD  HARBOR,  PETERSBURG, 

WELDON  RAILROAD,  POPLAR  SPRING  CHURCH. 

CASUALTIES. 

KILLED,  3  OFFICERS,  122  ENLISTED  MEN. 
WOUNDED,  35  OFFICERS  (OF  WHICH  ONE  DIED),  504  ENLISTED  MEN 

(OF  WHICH  SIXTY-TWO  DIED).  ' 

DIED  OF  DISEASE,  2  OFFICERS,  145  ENLISTED  MEN. 

MISSING  IN  ACTION,  50  ENLISTED  MEN. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  359 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT 
44TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY  , 

July  3,  1893- 

Oration  by  CAPT.  EUGENE  A.  NASH. 
COMRADES: 

On  a  short  notice  and  amid  numerous  other  engagements  I  obeyed  the 
command  of  our  worthy  President  to  briefly  address  you  at  this  time. 

It  would  not  be  human  to  stand  here  and  not  be  profoundly  impressed.  To 
any  person  who  loves  his  country,  the  battlefield  of  Gettysburg  is  now,  and  will 
remain,  a  spot  of  uncommon  interest  To  a  soldier  who  took  part  in  its  stir 
ring  events  it  awakens  a  train  of  vivid  reflections.  But  to  stand  upon  that 
battlefield,  surrounded  by  conspicuous  commanders  and  comrades,  after  many 
years  of  separation,  reflections  and  emotions  crowd  upon  the  mind  which  no 
language  can  express. 

It  is  said  that  a  venerable  Doge  of  Genoa,  while  standing  amid  the  splendors 
of  Versailles  was  asked  what  caused  him  the  most  surprise.  He  replied,  "  To 
find  myself  here."  Whoever  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  and  sur 
vived  it  a  single  day,  with  some  reason  could  express  a  surprise  to  find  him 
self  here.  But  he  who  took  part  in  the  battle  and  has  survived  the  years  which 
have  intervened,  may  truly  and  thankfully  exclaim,  it  most  surprises  me 
"  to  find  myself  here." 

In  his  address  in  laying  the  corner  stone  of  Bunker  Hill  Monument,  the 
great  Webster  said,  "  Venerable  men,  you  have  come  down  to  us  from  a  former 
generation.  Heaven  has  bounteously  lengthened  out  your  lives  that  you 
might  behold  this  joyous  day."  The  surviving  veterans  present  may  well  feel 
truly  grateful  that  Heaven  has  bounteously  lengthened  out  their  lives  that  they 
might  behold  this  joyous  day. 

But  to  my  comrades  standing  before  me,  boys  of  other  days,  I  hardly  dare 
say,  even  now,  "  venerable  men."  It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  thirty 
years  are  quite  a  prolongation  of  boyhood  days.  A  celebrated  poet  makes 
his  ideal  hero  say  — 

"  For  time  and  care  and  war  have  plough'd 
My  very  soul  from  out  my  brow." 

It  is  here  apparent  that  you  have  escaped  such  a  forlorn  experience,  for  traces 
of  the  "  old  boy  "  can  still  be  seen  lurking  in  your  faces. 

Yesterday  was  New  York  Day.  To-day,  in  part,  is  Forty-fourth  New  York 
Day.  This  much  is  premised  that  comrades  of  other  organizations  may  not 
think  us  partial  in  referring  more  particularly  to  the  history  of  the  organization 
and  services  of  that  regiment. 

When  the  body  of  the  lamented  Colonel  Ellsworth  lay  in  state  in  the  Capitol 
in  Albany,  a  meeting  of  patriotic  people  of  that  city  was  held  at  which  it  was 
decided  to  raise  a  representative  regiment  in  his  honor,  by  taking  one  man 
from  each  town  and  ward  in  the  State  of  New  York.  Mayor  George  H. 
Thacher,  Hon.  Erastus  Corning,  and  Charles  Hughes,  Esq.,  were  appointed 


360  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

a  committee  to  carry  out  the  details  of  that  plan.  Circulars  were  sent  through 
the  State  asking  the  co-operation  of  the  people.  These  circulars  stated  the 
required  qualifications  of  applicants  for  membership,  and  fixed  the  8th  clay 
of  August,  1861,  and  the  City  Hall  in  Albany,  as  the  time  and  place  tor  appli 
cants  to  convene.  It  was  required  that  each  applicant  for  membership  should 
be  an  active,  able-bodied  man,  unmarried,  at  least  five  feet  eight  inches  tall, 
of  good  habits,  and  between  18  and  30  years  of  age.  It  was  also  required 
that  each  applicant  should  bring  credentials  to  the  effect  that  he  represented 
some  town  or  ward,  and  was  possessed  of  good  moral  character.  He  must 
also  pay  into  the  regimental  fund  the  sum  of  $20.  It  was  no  mean  standard. 

The  8th  day  of  August  came.  From  all  parts  of  our  great  State  came  appli 
cants  for  membership.  All  avocations  were  represented.  Some  special  plead 
ing  was  resorted  to  by  applicants  to  show  they  were  up  to  the  required  stand 
ard,  and  some  anxiety  was  manifested  while  waiting  the  decision  on  applications. 
When  the  ranks  were  filled  it  was  as  fine  a  body  of  ten  hundred  young  men 
as  ever  marched  to  the  beat  of  the  drum. 

The  regiment  was  also  fortunate  in  obtaining  for  officers  a  number  of  the 
original  Ellsworth's  Chicago  Cadets.  They  had  been  drilled  and  disciplined 
by  Ellsworth,  and  some  of  them  served  under  him  in  the  New  York  Fire 
Zouave  Regiment.  They  proved  themselves  to  be  thorough,  competent  offi 
cers.  The  State  of  New  York  was  honored  by  their  gallant,  faithful  services. 
They  mingled  their  blood  with  the  sons  of  New  York  in  a  common  cause. 

A  few  weeks  were  spent  at  the  barracks  in  completing  the  organization  of 
the  regiment,  in  changing  the  garb  and  habits  of  civilians  for  the  garb  and 
habits  of  soldiers,  and  in  acquiring  a  partial  knowledge  of  drill.  Then  came 
the  order  to  move  to  the  seat  of  war.  On  a  bright  autumn  morning,  the  wide 
gate  leading  from  the  barracks  swung  open,  and  the  Forty-fourth  New  York 
Volunteers,  otherwise  known  as  the  People's  Ellsworth  Regiment,  marched 
forth  on  its  three  years'  pilgrimage  of  war.  With  new  uniforms,  bright  mus 
kets,  and  buoyant  steps,  regulated  by  the  stirring  music  of  Schreiber's  cele 
brated  band,  amid  the  plaudits  of  the  people,  it  took  its  departure. 

A  short  halt  was  made  on  State  street.  A  beautiful  flag  was  presented  by 
that  excellent  lady,  Mrs.  Corning.  In  making  the  presentation,  Mayor 
Thacher,  in  feeling  words  referred  to  it  as  the  emblem  of  our  country,  that  it 
should  be  borne  in  safety  and  honor.  When  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
regiment  received  it  he  said,  "Boys,  shall  that  flag  ever  fall?"  With  one 
acclaim  from  ten  hundred  voices,  the  reply  came  "  Never."  It  did  fall,  how 
ever,  when  the  hands  that  bore  it  went  down  in  death,  but  it  was  sacredly 
watched  by  all  until  it  was  again  raised  aloft.  Its  silken  folds  became  tat- 
ttred  and  battle-stained,  but  it  was  never  lowered  in  dishonor. 

In  passing  to  the  front,  a  difference  in  scenery,  climate,  and  popular  senti 
ment  was  discovered.  The  regiment  was  received  enthusiastically  in  New 
York,  hospitably  in  Philadelphia;  but  in  Baltimore  the"  "small  boy"  marched 
boldly  up  under  our  loaded  muskets  and  said  the  S.  N.  Y.  on  our  belts  meant 
Snub-Nosed  Yankees.  We  reached  Washington  in  cattle  cars  in  the  night, 
and  engaged  lodgings  on  the  sidewalks.  The  Government  seemed  oblivious 
of  the  fact  that  we  had  arrived.  Our  sojourn  at  the  Capital  was  brief,  and 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  361 

our  entertainment  by  the  Nation  was  quite  economical.  It  was  hardly  up  to  the 
entertainment  recently  accorded  to  the  Duke  of  Veragua.  We  slept  one  or 
two  nights  on  some  vacant  lots  in  the  suburbs,  and  took  the  chief  part  in  cook 
ing  our  own  meals. 

After  a  brilliant,  fatiguing  review,  we  started  by  personal  transportation  for 
the  front.  Had  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  been  waiting  for  us?  We  did  not 
then  know.  The  starry  heavens  and  the  numberless  camp  fires  only  added 
to  our  bewilderment.  After  a  long  march  a  halt  was  ordered  and  arms  stacked. 
What  were  we  to  do?  There  were  no  hotels  in  sight.  The  embarrassment 
was  brief.  The  excellent  old  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania  Regiment  invited  us 
to  supper,  and  helped  us  put  up  our  tents.  It  was  a  gracious,  welcome  act, 
and  the  beginning  of  an  endless  friendship.  The  next  morning  our  military 
and  geographical  position  proved  to  be  General  Butterfield's  Third  Brigade 
of  Porter's  Division,  Hall's  Hill,  Va.  The  other  regiments  of  the  brigade 
were  the  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania,  Sixteenth  Michigan,  and  Seventeenth  New 
York.  They  were  splendid  regiments,  and  became  closely  identified  with  our 
army  life. 

The  brigade  was  fortunate  in  its  first  commander.  General  Butterfield  was 
an  accomplished  officer  and  one  of  the  ablest  commanders  in  the  army.  While 
he  was  thought,  in  the  outset,  to  be  rather  too  strict,  the  sequel  proved  he  was 
laying  a  proper  foundation  for  the  severer  duties  which  were  to  follow.  Like 
Henry  of  Navarre,  his  "  white  plume  led  in  the  path  of  honor  and  glory." 
It  has  been  thought  it  was  a  mistake  that  he  became  separated  from  the  Fifth 
Corps. 

Drill  and  discipline  became  the  order  of  the  day.  It  was  as  regular  as  the 
movement  of  the  stars.  The  ten-hour  law  had  never  been  heard  of.  There 
was  squad  drill,  guard  mounting,  police  work,  company  drill,  battalion  drill, 
brigade  drill,  and  dress  parade.  There  was  reveille,  breakfast  call,  sick  call, 
dinner  call,  supper  call,  tattoo,  and  taps.  To  fill  in,  there  were  guard  duty, 
picket  duty,  and  lessons  in  tactics.  It  did  no  good  to  sit  down  in  your  tent 
and  emphatically  declare  that  the  routine  of  daily  duties  was  based  on  the 
assumption  that  twenty-seven  hours  constituted  a  day. 

There  is  a  little  bit  of  history  of  that  first  winter  that  has  never  been  made 
public.  It  is  now  related  only  under  the  pledge  of  profound  secrecy.  To  fill 
in  the  time,  General  Butterfield  held  a  school  for  the  instruction  of  commis 
sioned  officers.  The  first  one  attended  by  the  officers  of  the  Forty-fourth  New 
York  was  in  a  large  tent  at  brigade  headquarters.  An  air  of  military  pro 
priety  seemed  to  hover  around  the  place.  The  engagement  soon  opened. 
The  General  said  to  someone,  "  You  may  give  the  position  of  a  soldier." 
You  know  that  is  pretty  near  the  A,  B,  C,  in  military;  it  is  among  the  elements. 
Well,  officer  number  one  went  on  a  little,  and  he  was  informed  he  was  not 
correct  and  might  sit  down.  Number  two  was  designated,  and  he  soon  failed. 
Then  in  succession  several  others  were  tried,  and  with  no  better  result.  The 
General  then  asked,  "  Is  there  a  single  officer  present  who  can  give  the  position 
of  a  soldier?  "  No  one  volunteered  to  try.  No  other  question  was  asked.  In  a 
tone  of  mingled  surprise  and  sorrow  the  General  suggested  we  had  been  drill 
ing  our  men  about  four  or  five  months,  and  not  a  single  officer  could  give  cor 
rectly  the  first  important  lesson.  Like  Napoleon  Bonaparte  in  his  Moscow 


362  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

campaign,  we  had  been  overcome  by  the  elements.  There  was  no  failure  at 
the  next  meeting.  I  will  venture  to  say  there  is  not  a  single  officer  who  was 
then  present  who  cannot  to-day  give  the  position  of  a  soldier  without  a  single 
skip.  The  utility  is  apparent.  A  military  instructor  must  be  exact.  It  is 
not  sufficient  to  speak  in  a  general  way.  It  will  not  answer  to  instruct  "  heels 
about  on  the  same  line,  and  about  as  near  together  as  the  calves  will  permit." 

Since  we  have  the  General  present,  there  is  another  little  bit  of  history  I  am 
inclined  to  tell.  During  the  fore  part  of  our  service  the  General  formulated 
a  new  system  of  picket  duty.  The  system,  in  substance,  consisted  in  having 
alternate  sentries  on  the  picket  line  patrol  in  opposite  directions  until  they 
should  meet,  when  they  should  turn  and  patrol  in  the  opposite  direction  until 
they  should  meet  the  sentries  at  the  other  end  of  their  respective  beats.  In  this 
manner  it  was  possible  to  send  a  communication  to  and  from  remote  parts  of 
the  picket  line.  Captain  Root  of  the  Twelfth  New  York,  a  model  officer,  had 
occasion  one  dark,  stormy  night  to  visit  the  extreme  end  of  the  picket  line. 
While  there  he  decided  to  try  the  new  system  by  sending  a  communication  to 
the  headquarters  of  the  picket  reserve.  Whether  it  was  the  system,  the  dark 
ness,  or  the  weather,  his  communication  took  the  form  of  poetry.  As  I  remem 
ber,  it  ran  thus  — 

The  sentry  walks  his  lonely  rounds 

On  these  accursed  rebel  grounds, 

And  if  a  traitor  shows  his  head 

We'll   catch  the   cuss   or   shoot  him    dead. 

A  system  that  could  survive  the  transmission  of  such  poetry  ought  to  have  a 
place  in  history. 

With  lessons  in  tents,  lessons  on  the  drill  grounds,  lessons  on  the  picket 
line,  the  winter  was  spent.  Spring  brought  a  new  phase  of  military  life. 
Campaigning  began.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  moved. 

The  first  year  of  its  service  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  took  part  in  the 
affairs  and  battles  of  Centreville,  Big  Bethel,  Yorktown,  Hanover  Court  House, 
Games'  Mills,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Malvern  Hill,  Second  Bull  Run,  Antietam, 
and  Shepherdstown  Ford.  The  second  year  included  Fredericksburg,  Chancel- 
lorsville,  Aldie,  Gettysburg,  Jones'  Cross  Roads,  Williamsport.  The  third 
year  included  Rappahannock  Station,  Mine  Run,  Wilderness,  Laurel  Hill,  Spot- 
sylvania,  North  Anna,  Bethesda  Church,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg  and  Weldon 
Railroad.  The  enrollment  and  casualties  were: 

Total  enrollment  of  the  Forty-fourth    1.585 

Total  killed  or  died  from  wounds   182 

Total  killed  and  wounded 643 

Died  in  prison  of  disease  and  accidents 147 

Missing  and  captured *. 79 

Promoted  from  the  ranks 141 

Officers  and  men  in  Battle  of  Gettysburg 313 

Killed  and  wounded  in  Battle  of  Gettysburg in 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  363 

In  the  battles  of  Malvern  Hill  and  Second  Bull  Run  the  regiment  lost  one- 
half  of  all  who  were  engaged.  In  other  battles  in  which  it  was  engaged  it  did 
not  fail  to  perform  its  full  duty.  But  to  name  its  battles  affords  an  inadequate 
measure  of  its  service.  To  recount  the  number  of  its  killed  and  wounded  but 
meagerly  expresses  its  privations,  fidelity  and  bravery.  Time  will  not  per 
mit  us  to  dwell  upon  the  distinguished  part  taken  by  the  regiment  in  each 
battle  in  which  it  was  engaged.  Much  less  are  we  able  to  recall  the  heroic 
deeds  of  individuals.  The  three  years  of  its  service  were  years  of  anxiety, 
toil  and  danger.  They  were  years  that  left  their  imprints  on  the  lives  of  all 
who  survived.  They  were  years  in  which  was  enacted  an  important  chapter 
in  the  destiny  of  a  great  nation. 

About  the  end  of  the  first  year  the  regiment  was  augmented  by  two  new 
companies.  One  came  from  the  central  part  of  the  State;  the  other  came  from 
the  State  Normal  School  at  Albany.  The  latter  company  brought  along  some 
of  its  teachers  as  officers.  We  have  often  heard  of  the  professor  in  politics; 
but  here  was  an  instance  of  the  professor  in  war.  It  seemed  to  be  quite  a  nat 
ural  step  to  pass  from  Caesar's  Commentaries  to  Casey's  Tactics.  Both  com 
panies  proved  themselves  to  be  worthy  of  the  regiment.  They  shared  in  its 
privations  and  dangers ;  so  should  they  share  in  its  history  and  glory. 

On  the  3d  day  of  June,  1863,  the  two  opposing  armies  confronted  each 
other  on  the  Rappahannock.  After  the  battles  of  Fredericksburg  and  Chan- 
cellorsville,  the  enemy  became  bold  and  defiant.  Lee  decided  to  change  to 
offensive  operations.  Discontent  in  localities  in  the  North,  foreign  sympathy 
and  assistance  favored  the  design.  The  Confederate  plan  was  carefully  and 
skillfully  inaugurated.  Cautious  manoeuvring  extended  from  the  Rappahan 
nock  to  the  Susquehanna.  Lee  failing  to  elude  Hooker  by  his  strategy,  decided 
to  capture  Harrisburg.  It  was  a  comprehensive  plan.  After  the  fall  of  Har- 
risburg,  the  capture  of  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington  were  among 
the  possibilities.  The  grand  old  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  the  only  obstacle. 
Whether  wisely  or  unwisely,  we  "  stopped  to  swap  horses  in  the  middle  of 
the  stream."  The  change  was  to  some  extent  an  experiment.  Meade,  a 
trusty  subaltern,  had  never  held  an  independent  command.  On  the  28th  day 
of  June,  Reynolds,  with  his  command  had  approached  the  Confederate  forces 
in  such  a  manner  that  Lee  was  obliged  to  abandon  the  capture  of  Harrisburg 
and  concentrate  his  army.  In  his  report,  Lee  says,  "  I  was  unexpectedly  con 
fronted  by  the  Federal  army.  I  had  not  intended  to  fight  a  battle,  unless 
attacked,  so  far  from  my  base."  A  fierce  and  obstinate  engagement  was  fought 
on  the  ist  day  of  July,  between  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps  of  our  army,  and 
about  one-half  of  the  Confederate  army.  The  result  was  decidedly  favorable 
to  the  Confederates.  Our  troops  engaged  were  driven  from  their  position  with 
heavy  loss.  The  gallant  Reynolds  was  killed.  Hancock  arrived,  surveyed 
the  field,  and  recommended  that  the  battle  be  fought  on  the  line  to  which  our 
troops,  which  fought  the  day  before,  had  recoiled.  The  balance  of  the  army 
was  ordered  up. 

The  Forty-fourth  New  York  still  belonged  to  the  Third  Brigade,  First 
Division,  Fifth  Corps.  The  balance  of  the  brigade  was  the  same  as  originally 
organized,  except  the  Twentieth  Maine  had  taken  the  place  of  the  Seventeenth 


364  NE\V  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

New  York.  The  brigade  was  commanded  by  Col.  Strong  Vincent.  The  mid 
summer  march  from  the  Rappahannock  was  the  least  bit  depressing;  the 
news  of  the  engagement  of  the  ist  day  of  July  was  not  reassuring.  Under 
such  circumstances  as  these  the  remainder  of  the  army  approached  Gettys 
burg.  Irregular  rest,  scant  rations  and  forced  marches  were  the  lot  of  the 
rank  and  file.  Heretofore  our  services  had  been  in  States  where  the  sympathy 
of  non-combatants  was  with  the  enemy.  There  was  an  apparent  change  when 
the  invisible  line  that  separates  the  States  of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  was 
crossed. 

As  Antams  always  arose  with  renewed  strength  when  coming  in  contact 
with  the  earth,  so  our  brave  legions  advanced  with  new  courage  and  lighter 
hearts  when  they  set  foot  upon  the  soil  of  the  grand  old  Commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  attentions  of  the  people,  the  songs  of  fair  women,  the 
demands  of  our  cause,  made  our  grand  army  invulnerable  as  it  marched  on  to 
Gettysburg. 

The  ominous  thunder  of  artillery,  the  hurried  gallop  of  orderlies,  the  rapid, 
light  marches  on  converging  lines  all  indicated  that  the  battle  was  on. 

The  result  of  the  first  day  made  the  enemy  confident.  His  movements  were 
bold  and  aggressive.  Early  in  the  morning  of  July  2d,  after  two  hours'  sleep, 
without  breakfast,  we  marched  upon  the  battlefield.  The  evidences  of  the 
battle  the  day  before,  the  preparation  for  its  continuance,  were  everywhere 
apparent.  The  continuous  firing  along  the  skirmish  line,  the  occasional  roar 
of  musketry,  the  exchange  of  shots  by  the  artillery,  showed  the  proximity  and 
earnestness  of  the  contending  armies. 

Lee's  plan  of  battle  was  to  turn  Meade's  left.  Longstreet,  his  ablest  lieu 
tenant,  was  selected  for  that  important  work.  The  attack  opened  between 
3  and  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  intention  was  to  throw  a  superior  force 
on  the  point  assailed.  The  divisions  of  Anderson,  McLaws,  and  Hood  consti 
tuted  the  attacking  column.  They  first  struck  the  advanced  position  of  the 
gallant  old  Third  Corps,  led  by  its  favorite  commander,  the  intrepid  Sickles. 
The  attack  was  fierce  and  persistent.  The  defence  was  obstinate  and  heroic. 
The  enemy  kept  extending  his  right  with  the  view  of  enveloping  and  crush 
ing  our  left.  Sickles  was  fighting  against  a  largely  superior  force.  The  first 
help  to  reach  him  came  from  the  glorious  old  Fifth  Corps.  The  attacking 
column  was  constantly  being  reinforced  by  fresh  troops  and  constantly  forcing 
the  fighting  toward  the  left.  Sickles,  the  master  mind  in  this  part  of  the  field, 
was  dangerously  wounded,  and  borne  from  the  field. 

At  4:30  o'clock,  the  position  was  critical.  At  this  juncture,  Wellington  is 
reported  to  have  said,  "  I  would  to  God  Blucher  would  come  or  the  sun  go 
down."  The  fighting  old  Fifth  Corps  now  reached  this  part  of  the  field.  It 
came  none  too  soon.  Its  operations  were  fittingly  described  by  General  Slocum, 
whose  brilliant  services  added  a  lustre  to  every  field  on  w.hich  he  fought:  "  The 
attack  was  made  in  strong  force  and  with  great  spirit  and  determination.  Had 
it  been  successful,  the  result  would  have  been  terribly  disastrous  to  our  army 
and  the  country.  The  arrival  of  the  Fifth  Corps  at  the  point  of  attack  at  so 
critical  a  moment  afforded  it  an  opportunity  of  doing  service  for  the  country, 
the  value  of  which  can  never  be  over-estimated.  Of  the  manner  in  which 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  305 

this  opportunity  was  improved  I  need  not  speak.  The  long  list  of  its  killed 
and  wounded  attest  more  clearly  than  language  can  the  valor  of  its  officers 
and  men." 

Little  Round  Top  seems  to  have  attracted  the  attention  of  the  opposing  com 
manders  about  the  same  time.  It  was  the  key  of  the  battlefield.  Hood  was  on 
his  way  to  occupy  it.  The  Third  Brigade  was  detached  from  the  balance  of 
the  division  and  marched  at  double-quick  to  hold  it.  All  had  instructions  that, 
"  it  must  be  held  at  all  hazards."  The  brigade  formed  well  down  the  slope 
nearest  the  enemy,  the  Sixteenth  Michigan  on  the  right,  the  Twentieth  Maine 
on  the  left,  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  on  the  right  center,  and  the  Eighty- 
third  Pennsylvania  on  the  left  center.  The  Twentieth  Maine  was  the  extreme 
left  of  the  army. 

When  General  Longstreet  visited  this  field  five  years  ago,  he  said  he  was 
"  just  three  minutes  late  in  occupying  Little  Round  Top,  and  if  he  had  occupied 
it  first,  we  would  have  had  as  much  trouble  getting  rid  of  him  as  he  did  in 
trying  to  get  rid  of  us."  He  was  also  understood  to  have  said  both  armies  made 
the  same  mistake  in  not  occupying  it  two  hours  before  it  was  occupied.  Is  it 
another  illustration  of  the  fact  that  great  battles  sometimes  turn  on  small 
events?  Do  the  happenings  of  three  minutes  of  time  change  the  fate  of  a 
battle?  Can  anyone  say  that  with  Little  Round  Top  occupied  in  force  by  the 
enemy,  our  line  to  the  right  of  it  could  have  been  maintained?  But  speculation 
is  not  our  purpose. 

Colonel  Vincent  ordered  each  regiment  to  send  out  skirmishers,  and  a  staff 
officer  to  ride  to  the  top  of  Big  Round  Top  and  observe  the  movements  of 
the  enemy.  Scarcely  were  the  skirmishers  deployed  before  they  were  struck 
by  the  enemy's  advancing  lines  of  battle.  The  skirmishers  of  the  Forty-fourth 
were  commanded  by  the  modest,  brave  Captain  Larrabee.  He  fell  at  the  first 
volley.  The  charging  columns  of  the  enemy  followed  closely  on  the  heels  of 
our  returning  skirmishers.  Our  troops  had  no  time  to  protect  themselves  by 
temporary  breastworks.  The  first  onset  of  the  enemy  struck  the  position  held 
by  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  and  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania.  Colonel  Rice 
in  his  report  says  the  enemy,  "  massing  two  or  three  brigades  of  his  force  tried 
for  an  hour  in  vain  to  break  the  lines  of  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  and  Eighty- 
third  Pennsylvania,  charging  again  and  again  within  a  few  yards  of  these 
unflinching  troops.  At  every  charge  he  was  repulsed  with  terrible  slaughter. 
Despairing  of  success  at  this  point,  he  made  a  desperate  attack  upon  the 
extreme  right  of  the  brigade,  held  by  the  Sixteenth  Michigan."  Through  some 
misunderstanding  of  orders,  some  confusion  ensued  in  the  line  of  the  gallant 
Sixteenth  Michigan.  At  this  time  Colonel  Vincent  was  wounded  and  taken 
from  the  field.  No  braver  or  truer  officer  fell  on  that  field.  His  death  was  a 
loss  to  the  army  and  to  the  country. 

Assailed  in  front,  with  some  confusion  to  its  right,  with  the  tide  of  battle 
rolling  around  to  its  rear,  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  fought  bravely  on, 
remembering  the  command,  "  The  position  must  be  held  at  all  hazards." 

In  the  meantime  the  enemy  sent  a  strong  flanking  column  to  envelop  and 
turn  the  left  of  the  brigade  held  by  the  Twentieth  Maine.  Success  there 
opened  up  to  him  vantage  ground  from  which  to  operate  on  the  flank  and  rear 


366  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

of  our  entire  army.  While  his  regiment  was  under  a  heavy  fire,  with  great 
presence  of  mind  Colonel  Chamberlain  changed  direction  of  his  left  wing  and 
took  intervals  to  the  left  to  meet  the  new  emergency.  For  an  hour  the  ter 
rible  contest  at  this  point  ensued,  "  the  edge  of  the  fight  rolling  backward  and 
forward  like  a  wave." 

While  our  depleted  lines  were  hotly  pressed,  while  the  line  of  battle  envel 
oped  two-thirds  of  the  entire  circumference  of  Little  Round  Top,  the  enemy 
formed  a  new  column  of  attack.  It  was  to  be  the  final  desperate  charge  of  the 
day.  The  field  was  red  with  carnage,  the  valley  was  filled  with  smoke.  Could 
our  sparse  lines  withstand  the  shock?  Did  not  the  fate  of  the  day  hang  on  the 
result?  The  opportune  moment  was  seized.  The  Twentieth  Maine  was 
ordered  to  charge.  That  gvnlant  regiment  responded  with  a  will.  The  bold 
ness  of  the  movement  largely  aided  in  its  success.  The  front  line  of  the  enemy 
hesitated,  wavered  and  broke,  carrying  confusion  to  those  in  the  rear.  With 
backs  once  turned,  their  superior  numbers  only  added  to  the  confusion.  With 
a  half  right  wheel,  the  Twentieth  Maine  cleared  the  field  in  its  front  and  again 
occupied  its  proper  place  in  line.  The  discomfited  enemy  sullenly  retreated 
from  the  field.  The  approaching  evening  was  greeted  by  the  shouts  of  victory 
which  rolled  along  the  slopes  of  Little  Round  Top,  covered  the  intervening 
valley  and  resounded  upon  the  heights  of  Big  Round  Top. 

Give  God  the  glory!  The  Battle  of  Gettysburg  was  won,  and  Butterfield's 
old  Light  Brigade  was  immortal. 

Let  us  not  be  misunderstood.  We  would  not  detract  from  the  undying 
laurels  won  by  other  parts  of  the  army.  There  is  glory  enough  for  all.  History 
fails  to  tell  of  nobler  men  or  more  heroic  deeds. 

The  Third  Brigade  was  charged  with  the  unequal  task  of  maintaining  a 
vital  point.  The  Confederate  plan  was  to  carry  the  left.  That  plan  had  failed. 
The  opportunity  and  achievements  of  the  Third  Brigade  alike  conspired  to 
emphasize  its  distinguished  service.  Its  noble  blood  was  around  and  upon 
Little  Round  Top,  and  while  that  historic  height  shall  stand,  its  fame  shall 
endure. 

Such  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  organization  and  service  of  the  Forty-fourth 
New  York.  It  was  organized  as  a  representative  regiment  of  the  Empire 
State.  By  its  distinguished  service  on  many  battlefields  t  won  a  name  which 
reflected  honor  on  the  State.  As  a  token  of  appreciation,  the  State  of  New 
York,  and  friends  of  members  of  the  regiment  have  erected  a  monument  in  its 
honor.  There  it  stands.  The  materials  of  which  it  is  built  are  most  appro 
priate  and  durable.  The  design  and  workmanship  are  complete  and  beauti 
ful.  The  site  upon  which  it  stands  is  more  valuable  and  mon:  durable  than 
brass  or  marble.  The  Almighty  erected  it,  and  it  will  endure  so  long  as  the 
world  shall  stand.  It  has  been  sanctified  by  the  blood  of  heroes,  and  the  dews 
of  eternity  shall  water  it. 

But  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  has  an  invisible  monument.  Its  pedestal  is 
liberty,  equality  and  justice;  its  superstructure  is  patriotism,  honor  and  valor; 
its  crowning  dome  reaches  to  Heaven,  and  on  it  is  the  word  "  Immortality." 
On  it  may  be  read  the  329  names  of  men  from  the  ranks  who  died  for  our 
country,  under  whose  names  are  the  memorable  words,  "  Don't  mind  me,  but 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  367 

save  the  flag."  On  it  may  be  read  the  names  of  Thomas,  Dunham,  Johnson, 
Larrabee,  Chapin  and  Rice.  Under  these  names  may  be  read  the  words, 
"  Tell  the  Forty-fourth  I  am  done  fighting.  Turn  me  over  and  let  me  die  with 
my  face  to  the  enemy."* 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 

One  of  the  first  heroes  to  fall  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  was  Col.  Elmer 
E.  Ellsworth.  While  the  body  of  that  young  officer  lay  in  state,  in  the  Cap 
itol  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  some  of  the  patriotic  people  of  that  city  conceived  the 
idea  of  raising  a  regiment  from  the  State  at  large,  in  honor  of  that  distin 
guished  young  officer.  The  plan  was  to  select  one  man  from  each  town  and 
ward  in  the  State  of  New  York,  to  be  chosen  by  the  people  of  such  town  or 
ward.  A  circular  was  accordingly  published,  setting  forth  the  qualifications 
required  of  2ach  candidate  for  membership.  The  circular  provided  that  the 
candidate  must  be  an  able-bodied  man,  unmarried,  temperate,  at  least  five  feet 
eight  inches  in  height,  of  good  moral  character,  bring  credentials  that  he  rep 
resented  some  town  or  ward  in  the  State,  and  pay  in  to  the  regimental  fund  the 
sum  of  $20.  The  circular  also  provided  that  applicants  for  membership  should 
meet  at  the  City  Hall,  in  Albany,  on  the  8th  day  of  August,  1861.  This  plan, 
with  some  unimportant  modifications,  was  carried  out.  The  regiment  was 
designated  as  the  Forty-fourth  New  York  Volunteers,  otherwise  known  as  the 
"  People's  Ellsworth  Regiment." 

At  the  appointed  time  and  place,  applicants  appeared  for  membership  from  all 
parts  of  the  State,  bringing  credentials,  paying  the  required  sum  into  the  regi 
mental  fund,  and  asking  to  be  accepted.  In  many  instances  there  was  sharp 
competition  in  the  towns  and  wards  in  selecting  their  respective  representa 
tives.  Many  sought  admission  who  could  not  be  received.  Those  who  were 
received  were  prompted  by  an  exalted  purpose.  After  passing  the  required 
examination,  those  who  appeared  that  day  were  marched  to  the  barracks.  The 
regiment  was  filled  in  a  short  time.  The  average  age  of  the  men  was  22  years ; 
the  average  height  was  five  feet  ten  and  a  half  inches.  The  first  field  officers 
were  : 

Stephen  W.  Stryker,  Colonel. 

James  C.  Rice,  Lieut.  Colonel. 

James  McGowan,  Major. 

Of  its  first  officers,  the  following  had  belonged  before  the  war  to  the  famous 
Chicago  Cadets,  part  of  whom  had  served  with  Colonel  Ellsworth  in  the  New 
York  Fire  Zouave  Regiment;  Adjt.  Edward  B.  Knox,  Captains  Larrabee,  Con 
ner,  and  Danks,  and  Lieut.  Harry  Kelly.  These  officers  were  attracted  to  the 
regiment  by  the  fact  that  it  was  raised  in  honor  of  Ellsworth.  Their  knowl 
edge  and  experience  were  of  great  value  in  organizing  and  disciplining  the 
regiment,  and  they  proved  themselves  to  be  excellent  officers. 

*Last  words  of  Gen.  James  C.  Rice,  formerly  Colonel  of  the  Forty-fourth  New  York, 
as  he  lay  dying  on  the  battlefield  of  The  Wilderness. 


568 


NEW  YOKK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  on  the  24th  day 
of  September,  1861,  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war.  While  in  the  barracks, 
the  entire  time  was  spent  in  drill  and  discipline.  On  the  24th  day  of  October, 
1 86 1,  the  regiment  left  the  barracks  for  the  front,  1,061  strong.  The  men  were 
attired  in  neat  Zouave  uniforms,  and  drill  and  discipline  had  added  to  their 
military  appearance.  As  a  whole  the  appearance  of  the  regiment  was  imposing 
and  soldierly. 

On  reaching  New  York,  the  regiment  marched  down  Broadway  in  column, 
by  company.  The  reception  by  the  people  of  New  York  was  inspiring  and 
hearty.  After  remaining  there  one  night,  the  regiment  proceeded  by  cars  to 
Washington.  The  transportation  was  not  all  first  class.  The  first  night  in 
the  National  Capital  was  spent  upon  door  steps  and  sidewalks.  On  the  ensu 
ing  morning  a  march  was  made  down  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  and  by  the  White 
House,  President  Lincoln  reviewing  the  regiment  as  it  passed.  A  halt  of  a  day 
or  two  was  made  at  Ka'lorama  Heights,  where  the  first  camp  was  pitched. 
Then  came  a  grand,  fatiguing  review,  after  which  a  march  was  made  across 
Long  Bridge  to  Hall's  Hill,  Va.  The  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania  gave  the 
regiment  a  supper  on  its  arrival.  It  was  most  acceptable,  and  an  act  of  hos 
pitality  that  was  never  forgotten. 

The  next  morning  it  was  learned  that  the  regiment  had  been  assigned  to 
Butterfield's  Brigade,  of  Porter's  Division.  The  regiments  of  this  brigade  and 
their  commanders  were  as  follows: 

Seventeenth  New  York,  Colonel  Lansing. 

Sixteenth  Michigan,  Colonel  Stockton. 

Eighty-third  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  McLane. 

Forty-fourth   New  York,  Colonel  Stryker. 

The  fall  and  winter  were  passed  in  squad,  company,  battalion,  and  brigade 
drills,  and  the  routine  of  camp  life.  This  was  relieved  by  frequent  details  on 
picket  duty.  The  officers  were  required  to  apply  themselves  to  the  study  of 
books  of  tactics  and  army  regulations,  and  submit  to  frequent  examinations 
by  the  brigade  commander.  This  kind  of  camp  life  seemed  quite  exacting, 
but  subsequent  experience  proved  its  utility.  General  Butterfield  was  a  very 
strict  disciplinarian,  but  proved  himself  to  be  an  able  and  gallant  officer. 

The  space  allotted  for  this  sketch  will  not  permit  of  following  in  detail  the 
regiment  in  its  three  years  of  active  service.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  it  shared 
with  the  grand  old  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  its  marches,  retreats,  victories  and 
defeats.  It  mutely  endured  the  experiments  of  poor  generalship.  Before  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  the  regiment  had  been  in  the  following  battles  and  engage 
ments:  Siege  of  Yorktown,  Hanover  Court  House,  Mechanicsville,  Games' 
Mill,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Malvern  Hill,  Second  Bull  Run,  Antietam,  Shep- 
herdstown  Ford,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville  and  Aldie. 

On  the  evacuation  of  Yorktown,  May  5,  1862,  the  regiment  was  detached 
from  the  brigade  to  garrison  that  place.  After  remaining  a  few  days  on  that 
duty,  it  was  thought  by  most  of  the  officers  that  the  regiment  would  not  fulfill 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  369 

the  high  expectations  of  its  promoters  and  friends  by  remaining1  on  garrison 
duty.  A  petition  was  presented  to  General  Butterfield  asking  that  the  regiment 
be  ordered  to  the  front.  This  was  done.  It  soon  rejoined  the  advance,  and 
continued  in  active  service  during  the  remainder  of  its  term  of  enlistment. 

A  few  words  ought  to  be  said  about  the  part  taken  in  the  battle  of  Malvern 
Hill,  where  the  regiment  lost  99  in  killed  and  wounded  out  of  225  engaged. 
After  supporting  a  battery  most  of  the  day  on  July  ist,  about  5  o'clock,  p.  M., 
General  Butterfield  ordered  a  charge.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Rice  was  in  com 
mand.  No  sooner  was  the  command  "  Attention  "  given,  than  every  man  was 
in  his  place.  Colonel  Rice  said,  "  Forty-fourth,  I  want  you  to  charge  to-day  as 
you  never  charged  before."  His  wish  was  fully  gratified.  The  regiment 
advanced  on  the  enemy  in  a  most  gallant  manner.  During  the  advance  the 
voice  of  Colonel  Rice  could  be  heard  above  the  din  of  battle,  "  Men  we  are 
Christians  and  we  can  die."  The  enemy  were  driven  from  their  advanced 
position  and  pursued  as  they  retreated  in  confusion  and  disorder.  While  in  its 
advanced  position,  with  masses  of  the  enemy  hovering  around  it,  an  order  being 
given,  the  regiment  coolly  changed  front  forward  on  tenth  company.  The  fight 
was  at  close  range.  The  shells  of  our  batteries  burst  in  our  ranks.  The  new 
position  was  thought  to  give  vantage  to  the  enemy,  and  the  order  was  coolly 
executed  of  "  Change  front  to  rear  on  tenth  company."  When  the  ammuni 
tion  was  exhausted,  orders  were  given  to  retire  to  the  position  occupied  by  the 
balance  of  the  brigade.  It  was  thought  by  many  that  if  this  charge  of  the  Forty- 
fourth  had  been  followed  up,  the  right  of  the  enemy  could  have  been  turned 
and  a  great  victory  achieved.  The  regiment  lost  44  per  cent,  of  the  number 
engaged,  and  among  the  wounded  were  Captain  Shaffer  and  Lieutenant  W^ood- 
worth.  There  were  many  expressions  of  mortification  and  humiliation  when  it 
became  known  that  a  retreat  to  Harrison's  Landing  had  been  ordered  from  a 
victorious  field. 

At  the  battle  of  Second  Bull  Run,  the  regiment  lost  in  killed  and  wounded 
71  of  the  160  officers  and  men  engaged.  About  the  ist  of  October,  1862,  the 
numbers  of  the  regiment  were  augmented  by  the  addition  of  two  new  com 
panies.  One  came  from  the  central  part  of  the  State,  and  was  commanded  by 
Capt.  Bennett  Munger.  The  other  was  composed  almost  entirely  of  students 
from  the  Albany  Normal  School,  and  was  commanded  by  Captain  Kimball,  one 
of  the  professors  of  that  institution.  They  were  given  the  letters  C  and  E, 
respectively,  the  members  of  the  old  Companies  C  and  E  being  transferred  to 
other  companies.  They  proved  themselves  to  be  worthy  allies  of  the  regiment, 
whose  fortunes  they  had  joined. 

On  the  night  of  June  30,  1863,  the  regiment  with  the  balance  of  Barnes' 
Division  encamped  at  Union,  Md.  At  an  early  hour  on  July  ist,  march  was 
resumed  toward  Hanover,  which  place  was  reached  about  sundown.  During 
the  day  the  line  between  the  States  of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania  was  crossed, 
an  event  which  was  celebrated  with  much  cheering  and  enthusiasm.  At 
Hanover  a  halt  was  made  for  the  night,  after  a  fatiguing  march.  In  a  short 
time,  however,  orders  were  received,  and  the  march  toward  Gettysburg  was 
resumed.  No  halt  was  made  until  about  I  or  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 

24 


370  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

July  2.  During  the  night  reports  were  received  of  the  First  Day's  Battle  of 
Gettysburg.  They  were  not  very  satisfactory.  During  this  night's  march  our 
troops  had  an  opportunity  to  experience  the  difference  between  the  people  of 
loyal  and  disloyal  States.  The  reception  accorded  in  Pennsylvania  was  most 
hearty  and  inspiring.  The  army  had  come  in  contact  with  people  who  believed 
in  the  cause  in  which  it  was  engaged.  Weariness  was  relieved  by  ladies 
assembled  in  groups,  singing  patriotic  songs,  while  the  soldiers  joined  in  the 
choruses.  After  resting  two  or  three  hours  at  a  point  about  three  miles  from 
Gettysburg,  a  rapid  march  was  made  to  the  field  at  an  early  hour.  It  soon 
became  apparent  that  stirring  events  were  at  hand.  It  was  observed  that  the 
army  was  being  concentrated,  and  that  a  line  of  battle  had  been  formed. 
During  the  day  different  positions  were  taken  by  the  division.  About  4  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  General  Sykes,  commanding  the  Fifth  Corps,  received  orders 
to  proceed  to  the  left  and  front.  At  the  same  hour  the  Confederate  General 
Longstreet  proceeded  to  execute  the  orders  of  his  chief  to  envelop  and  turn  the 
Union  left.  This  was  Lee's  plan  of  battle.  While  the  Fifth  Corps  were  en 
route  to  take  position,  General  Warren  rode  up  rapidly,  pointing  to  Little 
Round  Top,  and  urged  that  troops  be  sent  immediately  to  occupy  that  point. 
Colonel  Vincent,  commanding  Third  Brigade,  First  Division,  Fifth  Corps,  was 
ordered  by  General  Barnes  to  detach  his  brigade  from  the  division  and  occupy 
that  important  point.  The  Confederate  General  Hood's  Division  was  on  the 
march  to  occupy  the  same  position.  The  Third  Brigade,  by  marching  in 
double  time,  reached  Little  Round  Top  a  few  minutes  before  the  Confederates. 
The  country  was  wooded,  wild  and  broken.  •  Huge,  irregular  rocks 
dotted  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  brush  and  trees  obstructed  the  view.  The 
line  was  formed  around  Little  Round  Top,  conforming  to  its  formation  and  well 
down  the  slope,  toward  the  enemy.  By  this  formation  the  left  was  well  drawn 
back  forming  nearly  a  quadrant.  There  was  no  time  to  correct  alignments  nor 
to  throw  up  breastworks.  Instructions  were  given  that  this  position  must  be 
held  at  all  hazards.  Each  regiment  sent  out  a  company  as  skirmishers,  Captain 
Larrabee  commanding  those  of  the  Forty-fourth.  The  writer  was  assistant 
inspector  general  of  the  brigade,  and  was  directed  by  Colonel  Vincent  to  ride 
upon  Big  Round  Top  and  observe  the  movements  of  the  enemy.  All  move 
ments  were  executed  rapidly.  The  enemy  approached  in  three  columns  with  no 
skirmishers  in  advance.  His  plan  of  battle  was  being  unfolded.  In  his  report 
Colonel  Rice  says:  "  If  he  (the  enemy)  could  gain  the  vantage  ground  occupied 
by  the  brigade,  the  left  flank  of  our  line  must  give  way,  opening  to  him  a  vast 
field  for  successful  operations  in  the  rear  of  our  entire  army."  The  skirmishers 
of  the  Forty-fourth  had  not  advanced  more  than  200  yards  to  the  front  when 
they  were  fiercely  assailed,  driven  back,  and  Captain  Larrabee  killed.  A  line 
of  the  enemy  was  met  near  the  crest  of  Big  Round  Top.  In  a  very  short  time 
the  slope  of  Big  Round  Top  and  the  space  between  the  two  Round  Tops  were 
thronged  with  Confederate  troops.  The  Confederate  brigades  of  Law,  Robert 
son  and  Benning  repeatedly  assaulted  the  line  held  by  the  Third  Brigade.  The 
positions  of  the  Sixteenth  Michigan  and  Forty-fourth  New  York  were  first 
struck;  then  the  fighting  gradually  rolled  around  toward  the  left.  Through 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  371 

some  misunderstanding  of  orders,  a  portion  of  the  Sixteenth  Michigan  retired  to 
the  rear.  By  an  oblique  fire  to  the  right,  the  Forty-fourth  was  able  to  aid  the 
Sixteenth  Michigan  at  this  critical  time.  About  the  same  time  Colonel  Vincent 
was  mortally  wounded,  and  carried  from  the  field.  He  was  a  brave  soldier  and 
a  true  patriot.  Colonel  Rice  of  the  Forty-fourth  assumed  command  of  the 
brigade,  and  Lieut.  Col.  Conner  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  Forty-fourth. 
Colonel  Rice  in  his  report  says:  "  Massing  two  or  three  brigades  of  his  (Con 
federate)  force,  he  tried  for  an  hour  in  vain  to  break  the  lines  of  the  Forty-fourth 
New  York  and  Eighty-third  Pennsylvania,  charging  again  and  again  within  a 
few  yards  of  those  unflinching  troops."  Adhering  to  his  purpose  to  turn  the 
Union  left,  the  enemy  massed  heavily  on  the  left  flank  of  the  brigade  held  by 
the  Twentieth  Maine.  The  fighting  at  this  point  was  desperate  and  hand  to 
hand.  The  fire  of  the  attack  on  the  left  reached  the  rear  of  the  Forty-fourth.  In 
fact,  the  shots  from  the  attack  on  the  right  reached  the  rear  of  the  left  of  the 
brigade,  and  the  shots  from  the  attack  on  the  left  reached  the  rear  of  the  right 
of  the  brigade.  Hood's  (Confederate)  Division  numbered  at  the  battle  of  Gettys 
burg,  more  than  7,000  men.  It  was  divided  into  four  brigades  of  about  equal 
strength.  Regiments  belonging  to  the  brigades  of  Law,  Robertson  and  Benn- 
ing  were  engaged  in  the  assaults  on  the  Third  Brigade,  which  carried  into  battle 
only  1,141  muskets.  When  his  ammunition  was  gone,  Colonel  Chamberlain,  of 
the  Twentieth  Maine,  seeing  fresh  troops  of  the  enemy  forming  to  make  another 
charge,  anticipated  the  movement  and  ordered  his  own  regiment  to  charge. 
It  was  a  critical  moment.  That  gallant  regiment  responded  promptly.  As  they 
advanced  with  fixed  bayonets  the  front  line  of  the  enemy  gave  way  and  carried 
confusion  to  those  in  the  rear.  Pursuing  with  a  half-right  wheel,  the  Twentieth 
Maine  cleared  the  valley  in  its  front.  The  battle  on  this  part  of  the  line  was 
ended.  The  flanking  column  was  driven  from  the  field.  The  attempt  to  turn 
the  Union  left  had  failed.  About  9  o'clock  that  evening,  Colonel  Chamberlain 
advanced  with  his  regiment  and  drove  the  Confederates  from  Big  Round  Top, 
which  position  was  thereafter  held. 

On  the  morning  of  July  3d,  the  brigade  was  relieved  and  took  position  in 
reserve  near  the  left  centre.  It  was  not  again  actively  engaged.  The  Forty- 
fourth  lost  in  killed  and  wounded  more  than  34  per  cent,  of  the  number  engaged. 
Among  the  killed  were  Captain  Larrabee  and  Lieutenants  Dunham  and  Thomas. 
They  were  excellent  officers  and  mourned  by  the  entire  regiment.  Among  the 
wounded  were  Captains  Bourne  and  Munger  and  Lieutenant  Zeilman.  Com 
pany  A  went  into  the  battle  with  40  muskets,  and  lost  of  that  number  21  in 
killed  and  wounded. 

General  Longstreet  in  his  book  entitled,  "  From  Manassas  to  Appomattox," 
says:  "  We  were  on  Little  Round  Top  grappling  for  the  crowning  point.  The 
brigade  commanders  there,  Vincent  and  Weed,  were  killed,  also  Battery  Com 
mander  Hazlett  and  others;  but  their  troops  were  holding  to  their  work  as 
lirmly  as  the  mighty  boulders  that  helped  them."  In  his  report,  speaking  of  the 
Fifth  Corps,  General  Meade  says:  "  Major  General  Sykes  immediately  sent  a 
force  to  occupy  Round  Top  Ridge,  where  a  most  furious  contest  was  main 
tained,  the  enemy  making  desperate  but  unsuccessful  efforts  to  secure  it." 


374 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


(Front.) 

45TH  N.  Y.  INFANTRY. 

IST  BRIG.        3D  DIV.          HTH  CORPS. 

JULY  1,  1863. 

(Reverse.) 

TlIE  REGIMENT  CARRIED  INTO  ACTION  JULY  IST,  25  OFFICERS  AND  ABOUT 
35O  MEN.  AS  OFFICIALLY  REPORTED  IT  LOST,  KILLED  II,  WOUNDED  35, 
MISSING  164;  TOTAL,  2IO  OFFICERS  AND  MEN.  AMONG  THE  MISSING  MANY 
WERE  KILLED  OR  WOUNDED  IN  THE  TOWN  AND  NOT  INCLUDED  IN  THE  ABOVE 
NUMBER.  THOSE  CAPTURED  REFUSED  OFFERED  PAROLE,  HOPING  TO  ENCUMBER 
THE  ENEMY,  BELIEVING  THAT  THE  UNION  ARMY  WOULD  CAPTURE  THE  CRIPPLED 
FOE  AND  THEREBY  EFFECT  THEIR  RELEASE.  SADLY  DISAPPOINTED,  THEY 
SUFFERED  INDESCRIBABLE  MISERY  IN  ANDERSONVILLE  AND  OTHER  PRISON 
PENS,  NEGLECTED,  OFTEN  MALTREATED,  AND  FINALLY,  BELIEVING  THEMSELVES 
FORGOTTEN  AND  FORSAKEN,  MANY  DIED  MARTYRS  AND  JOINED  THEIR  MORE 
FORTUNATE  COMRADES  WHO  FELL  GLORIOUSLY  ON  THIS  FIELD. 

(Right  Side.) 

THIS  REGIMENT  WENT  INTO  ACTION  ABOUT  1 1  130  A.  M.,  JULY  IST,  1863. 
BY  DEPLOYING  FOUR  COMPANIES  AS  SKIRMISHERS  UNDER  CAPTAIN  IRSCH, 
ABOUT  ONE  HUNDRED  YARDS  TO  THE  REAR  OF  THIS  MONUMENT,  THEY  ADVANCED 
SUPPORTED  BY  THE  OTHER  SIX  COMPANIES  UNDER  LT.  COL.  DOBKE,  ABOUT 
FIVE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY  YARDS  UNDER  A  TERRIFIC  ARTILLERY  AND  SHARP 
SHOOTER'S  FIRE  TO  A  POINT  INDICATED  BY  MARKER  IN  FRONT.  TlIE  REG 
IMENT  ALSO  ASSISTED  IN  REPELLING  A  CHARGE  ON  THE  FLANK  OF  IST 
CORPS  TO  THE  LEFT,  CAPTURING  MANY  PRISONERS.  COVERED  RETROGRADE 
MOVEMENT  INTO  TOWN,  FIGHTING  THROUGH  THE  STREETS,  WHERE  MAJOR 
KOCH  FELL  DESPERATELY  WOUNDED.  A  PORTION  OF  THE  REGIMENT  WAS  CUT 
OFF  AND  TOOK  SHELTER  IN  CONNECTING  HOUSES  AND  YARDS  ON  CHAMBERS- 
BURG  STREET  WEST  OF  THE  TOWN  SQUARE,  HOLDING  THE  ENEMY  AT  BAY, 

UNTIL  ABOUT  5:30  P.  M.  WHEN  THEY  SURRENDERED,  AFTER  HAVING  DE 
STROYED  THEIR  ARMS  AND  ACCOUTREMENTS. 

(Left  Side.) 

ON  JULY  20,  THE  REMNANT  OF  THE  REGIMENT  WAS  EXPOSED  TO  A  HEAVY 
ARTILLERY  FIRE  ON  CEMETERY  HlLL,  AND  IN  THE  EVENING  MOVED  HASTILY 
TO  GULP'S  HILL  AND  ASSISTED  IN  REPULSING  AN  ATTACK  ON  GREENE'S 
BRIGADE,  I2TH  CORPS  (SEE  MARKERS  ON  GULP'S  AND  CEMETERY  HILLS). 

ON    THE    30,     IT    WAS    AGAIN     EXPOSED    TO    ARTILLERY    AND     SHARPSHOOTER'S 

FIRE,  WHEREUPON  SERGT.  LlNK,  WITH  VOLUNTEERS,  DISLODGED  THE  ENEMY'S 
SHARPSHOOTERS  IN  THE  EDGE  OF  THE  TOWN,  NEARLY  ALL  THE  SMALL  ATTACK 
ING  PARTY  BEING  KILLED  OR  WOUNDED  IN  THE  EFFORT.  TlIE  REGIMENT 
WHILE  IN  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC  PARTICIPATED  IN  THE  FOLLOWING 
BATTLES,  VIZ.  : 

CROSS  KEYS  WHITE  SULPHUR  SPRINGS        20  BULL  RUN 

CEDAR  MOUNTAIN  GAINESVILLE  CHANCELLORSVILLE 

WATERLOO  BRIDGE          GROVETON  GETTYSBURG 

AND  THEN  TRANSFERRED  TO  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND,  AT 
LOOKOUT  MOUNTAIN        RESACA  KENESAW  MOUNTAIN 

AND  MANY  OTHER  MINOR  ENGAGEMENTS. 


IST.  3R1G.    3m 
flm  CORPS. 
JULY  I.  1863. 


J.  B.  I.YON   riilXT.  F.  J.   SEVERENCE,   PHOTO. 

45TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 

Northwest  of  the  town,  near  the   Mummasburg  Road.     Pennsylvania  College  in  the   background. 

on  the  rijrht 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  375 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT 
45ra  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

October  10,  1888. 
ORATION  OF  COMRADE  CHRISTIAN  BOEHM. 

KAMERADEN,  FREUNDE,  DAMEN  DES  REGIMENTS  UND  MITBURGER: 

Uns  Ueberlebenden  ist  das  Gliick  beschieden,  heute  auf  der  fur  uns  so 
wichtigen  Statte  der  Enthiillung  eines  Denkmals  zur  Ehre  unserer  in  der 
Gettysburger  Schlacht  gefallenen  Kameraden  des  45.  Regiments  beizuwohnen, 
und  wollen  wir  bei  diesem  feierlichen  Akte,  geehrte  Anwesende,  den  Antheil  des 
Regiments  an  dem  dreitagigen  heissen  Kampfe  in  Kiirze  schildern: 

In  goldenem  Schimmer  brach  die  Morgensonne  des  ersten  Juli  1863  hervor, 
und  beschien  das  bei  Emmitsburg  gelegene  Lager  unseres  Regiments,  welches 
in  voller  Thatigkeit  zum  Abmarsch  bereit  war.  Heiter  und  in  bester  Ordnung 
marschirten  wir;  da  erscholl  nicht  zu  weit  entfernter  Kanonen-Donner;  uns 
entgegen  kommende  Unions-Reiter  berichteten,  dass  der  Feind  sturmish  vor- 
drange.  Nun  ging  es  vier  Meilen  in  Schnellschritt  vor;  erschopft,  athemlos 
erreichten  wir  Gettysburg. 

Sofort  gingen  vier  Companien  unter  Fuhrung  des  unerschrockenen  Capitain 
Irsch  als  Schiitzen  tapfer  vor,  und  drangten  die  feindlichen  Scharfschiitzen  eine 
Drittelmeile  zuriick,  und  stellten  so  die  Verbindung  mit  dem  schon  langere 
Zeit  heftig  kampfenden  ersten  Armee-Corps  her,  trotz  der  auf  Oak  Hill  gut 
bedienten  feindlichen  Zwolfpfiinder-Battene,  die  zwar  grosse  Verheerungen  in 
unsern  Reihen  anrichtete,  doch  dafiir  arg  von  unsern  wackeren  Tirailleurs  mit- 
genommen  wurde. 

Endlich  kommt  Hiilfe;  mit  dem  Reste  unseres  Regiments  unter  dem  braven 
Col.  Dobke  saussten  Dilger's  wackere  Ohio-Kanoniere  heran,  und  brachten 
obige  und  eine  zweite  feindliche  Batterie  bald  zum  Schweigen. 

Hierauf  riickten  wir  im  Sturmschritt  vor,  als  plotzlich  mehere  Brigaden  feind- 
licher  Infanterie  den  rechten  Fliigel  des  muthig  kampfenden  ersten  Armee- 
Corps  zuriickdrangten  und  daduch  unsere  linke  Flanke  bedrohten,  da  gaben 
die  45er  schell  Salve  auf  Salve  in  Feindes  Flanken  und  stiirmten  dem  fliehenden 
Feinde  nach,  viele  hundert  Gefangene  machend.  Sodann  ging  es  mit  einem 
Hurrah  auf  McLeans  rothe  Scheune  vor;  der  muthige  Sergeant  Linder  nebst 
Gefahrten  holten  60  Gefangene  heraus,  worauf  noch  12  Andere  aus  dem  Graben 
daneben  hervor  kamen,  um  sich  zu  ergeben.  Allein  zur  selben  Stunde  verliess 
uns  das  wechselnde  Kriegsgliick.  Unsere  muthig  kampfende  erste  Division 
wird  durch  Gordon's  und  Dole's  beriihmte  Georgia  Veteranen  flankirt  und  im 
Riicken  schwer  bedroht.  Dadurch  mussten  wir  die  blutig  errungenen  Vor- 
theile,  Schritt  fur  Schritt  kampfend,  wieder  aufgeben  und  uns  allmahlig  nach 
dem  College  vor  der  Stadt  zuruckziehen,  wahrend  unser  so  hart  kampfencler 
linker  Fliigel  des  ersten  Corps,  von  Heths  und  Fender's  North  Carolina 
Veteranen  umgangen,  westlich  schon  in  die  Stadt  stromten.  Da  standen  wir 


376  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

noch  trotzig  kampfend,  zwischen  dem  College  tind  der  Stadt,  und  Costar's 
schwache,  tapfere  Brigade  von  Steinwehr's  zweiter  Division,  vermochte  die  von 
Osten  stiirmende  feindliche  Fluth  auch  nich  mehr  zu  hemmen.  Da  blies  Gen. 
Schimmelpfenning's  Trompeter:  "  Schnellschritt  zuriick;  Rette,  wer  sich  retten 
kann!"  Jetzt  rief  der  trotzige  Hauptmann  Irsch,  dessen  scharfer  Blick  langst 
nnser  Ungliick  erschaute:  "  Kameraden,  zum  schnellen  Retiriren  ist's  zu  spat; 
hier  giebt's  nur  trotziges  Kampfen,  Gefangenschaft  oder  Tod!  "  Und  wie  aus 
einem  Munde  riefen  die  Seinen:  "So  wollen  wir  hier  stehen  und  kampfend 
sterben,  oder  in  Gefangenschaft  untergeh'n ! "  Nun  ging  es,  die  Fahne  hoch 
voran,  durch  die,  mit  Wagen,  Ambulanzen  und  Flikhtlingen  vollgepfropften 
Strassen  nach  den  schutzbietenden  Hohen  des  Kirchhofs  zu.  An  jeder  west- 
lichen  Strassenecke  schlugen  feindliche  Kugeln  in  unsere  Reihen;  dann  wurde 
Front  gemacht  und  der  Feind  geworfen,  so  dass  unfere  Briider  geschiitzt  weiter 
retiriren  konnten;  und  so  ging's  fort  im  blutigen  Strassenkampfe.  Als  es  auch 
von  Osten  Kugeln  zu  regnen  begann,  da  gait  es  die  Fahnen,  auch  vom  Regi- 
mente  zu  retten,  was  zu  retten  war.  Nun  fiihrte  Col.  Dobke  mit  dem  muthigen 
Captain  Corn  die  tete  an  der  Kirche  vorbei  in  ein  geschiitztes  Gasschen  hinein, 
wahrend  der  tapfere  Major  Koch  an  der  Ecke  schwer  verwundet  zu  Boden  fiel, 
und  die  Nachhut  das  Gasschen  kampfend  erreichte,  von  Ost  und  West  schwer 
bedroht;  do  kam  die  schlimme  Mare  von  der  Spitze:  Wir  sind  in  einer  Sack- 
gasse,  und  Mannschaft  wie  Fahne  miissen  iiber  Zaune  hinweg  zum  nahen 
Kirchhofe.  Geschiitzt  durch  Irsch's  heldenmuthige  Nachhut,  welche  gefuhrt 
durch  die  braven  Offiziere  und  Unteroffiziere,  Lindemayer,  Dietz,  Hanf, 
Nitschke  und  die  tapferen  Ahlert,  Leydecker,  Gerson,  Schlumpf  nebst  Anderen 
den  anstiirmenden  Feind  wiederholt  zuriick  warfen,  sich  in  Hausern  und  Hofen 
verschanzten;  noch  stundenlang  dem  Feinde  Trotz  boten,  und  erst  kapitulirten, 
als  keine  Rettung  mehr  zu  erhoffen  war. 

Am  2.  Juli  war  der  Ueberrest  des  Regiments  schweren  Artillerie-  und 
Schiitzen-Feuer  ausgesetzt. 

Abends  um  8  Uhr  wurden  wir  zur  Hilfe  des  schwer  bedrangten  zwolften 
Corps  nach  Gulps  Hill  beordert,  um  Gen.  Green's  tapfere  Brigade  abzulosen, 
und  schlugen  schwere  feindliche  Angriffe  wiederholt  mit  grossem  Verlust 
zuriick. 

Am  nachsten  Morgen  den  3.  Juli,  iibergaben  wir  die  uns  anvertrauten  Brust- 
wehren  Green's  wackerer  Schaar  und  zogen  wieder  nach  unserer  alten  Stellung 
auf  Cemetery  Hill. 

Da  brauchte  der  tapfere  Gen.  Schurz  "  Freiwillige,"  um  die  feindlichen 
Scharfschiitzen,  welche  unseren  Kanonieren  so  lastig  wurden,  aus  der  Vorstadt 
zu  vertreiben;  Sergeant  Link,  der  Verwegene,  mit  20  furchtlosen  Kameraden 
iibernahm  das  Wagestiick,  was  ihm  mit  grossen  Opfern  auch  schliesslich  ge- 
lang,  zur  Zeit,  als  der  grosse  Sturm,  "  Pickets  Charge  "  genannt,  uns  Tod  und 
Niederlage,  dem  Lande  Verderben  drohte. 

Jetzt  konnte  unsere  Artillerie  ungestort  von  Feindes  Scharf-Schiitzen  Pickets 
muthige  Schaar  mit  Wurfgeschossen  und  Kardatschen  nieder  mahen;  von  den 
Freiwilligen  aber  kamen  nur  wenige,  und  diese  verwundet,  zuriick. 

Am  4.  Juli  wurden  wir  des  grossen  Sieges  gewiss;  der  Feind  offerirte  den 
Gefangenen  des  45.  und  anderen  Parole,  welche  ausgeschlagen  wurde,  da  die- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  377 

selben  es  nicht  fur  ehrenhaft  hielten,  von  dem  geschlagenen  Feinde  auf  dem 
Schlachtfelde  auf  Parole  ihre  Freiheit  zu  erlangen;  auch  glaubten  dieselben 
nicht,  dass  der  so  fiirchterlich  geschlagene  Feind,  seine  Gefangenen  iiber  den 
Potomac,  geschweige  denn  nach  Richmond  zu  bringen  im  Stande  ware,  und 
dass  die  siegreiche  Potomac-Armee  das  ganze  feindliche  Heer  mit  uns  gefangen 
nehme  order  zur  Uebergabe  diesseits  des  Potomac  zwingen  wiirde.  Doch  es 
kam  anders;  dieselbe  getheilte  Meinung  sowohl  als  getheiltes  Handeln  von 
Oben,  welches  unserer  tapferen  Armee  soviel  Ungluck  friiher  brachte,  beraubte 
dieselbe  auch  jetzt  der  Fruchte  des  so  blutig  erfochtenen  Sieges,  wodurch  der 
Rebellion  mit  einem  Schlage  ein  Ende  gemacht  worden  ware.  Wahrend  grosse 
Massen  Milizen  den  Feind  von  Harrisburg  aus  bedrohten,  die  Potomac-Armee 
im  Riicken,  French  bei  Harpers  Ferry  in  der  Flanke,  verschantzte  Gen.  Lee 
sich  in  Hagerstown  und  wartete  ruhig  ab,  bis  der  vom  Regen  angeschwollene 
Potomac  ihm  den  Uebergang  mit  seinen  5,000  Gefangenen  gestattet;  und  so 
kam  die  tapfere  Schaar  nach  Libby  Prison  und  Bell  Island,  und  spater  nach 
Macon,  Charleston  und  Andersonville,  wo  so  viele  unter  den  grasslichsten 
Oualen  ihr  Leben  der  Union  opferten,  oder  jetzt  elend  und  verkiimmert  am 
Korper  und  Geist  siechend,  ihr  Dasein  dahin  schleppen. 

Nach  Gettysburg  wurde  das  45.  Regiment  zum  20.  Corps  unter  Gen.  Hooker 
versetzt  und  machte  die  Schlachten  bei  Lookout  Mountain,  Chattanooga, 
Ressaka,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  den  Feldzug  nach  East  Tennessee,  zur  Entsetzung 
Burnsides,  nebst  vielen  anderen  minder  wichtigen  Schlachten  und  Gefechten 
mit,  und  kann  mit  gerechten  Stolz  auf  seine  Vergangenheit  zuriickblicken. 

Moge  nun  dieses  herrliche  Denkmal  fur  ewige  Zeiten  stehen  und  der  Nach- 
welt  zeigen,  dass  Sohne  Deutscher  Nation  hier  als  Helden  und  gute  Patrioten 
iielen,  und  dass  auch  Fremdgeborene  die  Pflichten  fiir  ihr  Adoptiv-Vaterland 
treu  zu  erfiillen  im  Stande  sind,  und  wenn  es  gilt,  auch  muthig  ihr  Leben'  zu 
opfern  wissen. 

Uns  aber,  Kameraden  des  45ten  Regts.  V.  V.  Union,  soil  dieses  Denkmal 
auch  mahnen,  mit  gleichem  Eifer  und  Opfermuthe  wie  unser  Commandeur 
Irsch  fiir  die  Ehre  und  das  Wohl  des  Regiments  in  the  Schranke  zu  treten; 
ferner  wollen  wir  den  geschatzten  Kameraden,  Capt.  Feldstein,  Wehr  und 
Anderen  fiir  die  so  freudliche  Theilnahme,  unseren  innigsten  Dank  darbringen. 

"  Da  die  Pflight  nun  ist  erfiillet, 

"Unser  Tribut  den  Gefallenen  dargebracht; 

"  Das  herrliche  Denkmal  nun  enthtillet, 

"  Sei  in  Liebe  ihrer  nochmals  gedacht, 

"  Schlummert  ruhig  weiter,  theure  Kameraden, 

"  Nichts  store  Euch  in  Eurer  siissen  Ruh' 

"  Bis  sich  die  Graber  offnen  aller  Staaten 

"  Zur  allgemeinen  grossen  Review; 

"  Dann  werden,  wie  vor  25  Yahren, 

"  Wir  muthig  und  treu  zusammenstehen, 

"  Befreit  von  Sorg'  und  Erdgefahren 

"  Dem  neuen  Leben  froh  entgegengehen." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  BY  REGIMENTAL  COMMITTEE. 

This  regiment  broke  camp  at  6  A.  M.,  July  I,  1863,  at  or  near  St.  Joseph's 
College,  Emmitsburg,  Maryland,  and  was  ordered  to  march  towards  Gettys 
burg,  Pennsylvania,  at  about  6:30  A.  M.  At  or  near  Horner's  Mills,  returning 
couriers  and  wounded  cavalrymen  reported  an  engagement  with  the  enemy, 
and  we  were  directed  by  a  shorter  route  to  the  town  of  Gettysburg,  making 
the  greater  part  of  the  distance  in  double-quick  time,  so  much  so  that  the 
regiment  arrived,  panting  and  out  of  breath,  at  11:15  A.  M.,  by  the  town  clock 
in  the  town.  The  colonel,  George  Van  Amsberg,  ordered  four  companies  from 
the  right,  under  command  of  Capt.  Francis  Irsch,  to  proceed  at  once  on  the 
Mummasburg  Road,  past  the  College,  taking  McLean's  red  barn  on  Oak  Hill 
for  his  objective  point,  deploy  as  skirmishers  to  the  right  of  the  Mummasburg 
Road  as  far  as  he  could  towards  the  east,  and  the  regiment  would  follow,  as  soon 
as  they  had  gained  breath  and  had  closed  up,  to  support  the  four  companies 
acting  as  skirmishers.  The  First  Corps  was  then,  and  had  been,  engaged  on 
the  left  of  the  Mummasburg  Road  with  the  enemy's  infantry  and  artillery  in 
a  desperate  conflict  on  and  beyond,  and  to  the  north  of,  Seminary  Ridge. 

At  first,  the  four  companies  encountered  only  a  Virginia  Battery  (Page's) 
near  McLean's  barn,  and  an  enfilading  battery  of  the  enemy  on  a  hill  to  the  east, 
doing  little  damage  at  first,  while  the  deploying  to  the  right  in  the  wheat  or 
rye  fields  continued.  When  this  was  completed  the  skirmish  line  advanced, 
fronting  towards  Oak  Hill,  and  now  encountered  a  battalion  of  Alabama 
sharpshooters,  under  Major  Blackford,  stretched  along  the  lane  at  the  foot  of 
Oak  Hill  to  the  apple  orchard,  at  or  near  Hagy's  Farm,  close  to  the  Mummas 
burg  Road  on  our  left,  and  some  of  them  in  a  skirmish  line  in  the  wheat  or  rye 
fields  aforesaid,  in  our  front.  The  four  companies  pushed  forward  slowly, 
gaining  ground  under  a  terrific  artillery  and  sharpshooter  fire,  say  about  four 
hundred  yards,  with  considerable  loss,  and  then  sought  shelter  behind  fences, 
lying  down  awhile,  but  keeping  up  the  contest  with  the  enemy's  sharpshooters 
and  Page's  Battery  with  our  long-range  Remington  rifles  effectively. 

Meantime  the  balance  of  the  regiment  came  up  to  supporting  distance,  and  our 
superb  Ohio  battery  (Dilger's)  unlimbered  a  short  distance  behind  us  on  low 
ground  and  did  good  work  against  the  battery  in  front,  which  gave  us  some 
relief.  It  also  engaged  the  enfilading  battery  to  the  east,  and  the  four  com 
panies  pushed  forward  again  on  the  right,  when  a  strong  column  of  the  enemy 
(O'Neal's  Alabama  Brigade)  was  seen  coming  along  a  lane  at  the  base  of  Oak 
Hill,  stealthily  moving  towards  our  left,  where  a  gap  between  the  right  flank 
of  the  First  Corps  and  our  left  seemed  their  objective  point.  Other  regiments 
of  the  Eleventh  Corps  (the  Sixty-first  Ohio  and  Seventy-fourth  Pennsylvania) 
had  now  arrived,  pushing  through  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  coming  into 
skirmish  line  on  our  right,  say  about  I  o'clock.  They  f6ught  desperately  with 
the  enemy's  infantry  and  batteries  which  were  steadily  increasing  on  the  hills 
to  the  east,  where  large  columns  of  the  enemy's  infantry  poured  over  the  hills 
at  double-quick  into  line  below,  and  engaged  the  other  regiments  of  the  corps 
as  fast  as  they  arrived,  in  overwhelming  numbers. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  379 

The  Alabama  Brigade  alluded  to,  advanced  steadily  to  the  left  without  heed 
ing  our  fire  much,  whereupon  Captain  Irsch  sent  word  to  Dilger's  Battery, 
asking  them  to  engage  the  Confederate  infantry  if  possible  with  canister  or 
shrapnel  (while  we  laid  down  again),  which  they  did  so  successfully  that  the 
massed  enemy  began  to  halt  and  waver.  The  supporting  balance  of  our  regi 
ment  moved  obliquely  to  the  left  towards  the  gap  between  the  First  Corps  right 
and  our  left,  while  Dilger's  Battery  worked  all  their  guns  on  O'Neal's  Brigade, 
jointly  with  our  fire.  This  brigade  had  meantime,  in  a  wavering  and  half 
resolute  manner,  passed  our  right  and  received  a  galling  fire  upon  their  flank 
and  rear  from  our  four  companies.  A  few  regiments  of  the  First  Corps 
near  the  Mummasburg  Road,  faced  about  behind  a  stone  wall  to  the  left 
of  the  Mummasburg  Road,  and  fired  at  the  enemy's  advance  column.  Our 
other  six  companies,  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dobke,  also  opened  fire. 
The  enemy  began  to  break  and  run  up  the  slope  of  Oak  Hill  towards 
McLean's  barn,  and  the  Virginia  Battery  limbered  up  and  hastily  retired. 
Our  four  companies  of  skirmishers  immediately  charged  them  in  flank  and  rear, 
capturing  many  prisoners,  and  finally  took  McLean's  red  barn,  with  many 
more  prisoners. 

While  we  were  sending  about  300  prisoners  to  the  rear  another  Confederate 
brigade  came  charging  down  the  hill  near  the  Mummasburg  Road  (Iverson's 
North  Carolina  Brigade),  driving  in  the  right  of  the  First  Corps. 
Dilger's  Battery,  and  six  companies  of  our  regiment  in  their  front,  and  the 
four  companies  on  Oak  Hill  and  at  McLean's  barn,  now  in  their  flank  and  rear, 
as  well  as  several  regiments  of  the  First  Corps  to  the  left  of  the  Mummasburg 
Road,  gave  them  simultaneously  fearful  volleys  in  front,  on  both  flanks,  and  rear. 
Iverson's  Brigade  broke  and  ran  for  cover;  we  all  charged  them  from  every 
quarter  simultaneously,  and  drove  part  of  them  upon  the  right  of  the  First 
Corps  and  up  to  and  across  the  Mummasburg  Road,  where  three  entire  regi 
ments  surrendered  with  their  battle  flags,  mostly  to  the  First  Corps,  now  in 
their  front,  and  to  the  six  companies  of  our  regiment,  our  four  companies  of 
skirmishers  in  their  rear  picking  up  about  300  prisoners  more. 

While  these  prisoners  were  being  sent  to  the  College,  the  enemy,  in 
overwhelming  numbers,  engaged  our  different  regiments  as  fast  as  they  came 
up  on  our  right  to  the  east,  and  pressed  them  into  or  near  to  the  outskirts 
of  the  town.  On  our  left  we  could  see  the  broken  lines  of  our  First  Corps'  left 
being  turned  and  pressed  towards  the  western  outskirts  of  the  town,  while  we 
stood  with  a  brigade  of  the  First  Corps  almost  a  mile  in  front  of  the  town  at 
Oak  Hill.  Meanwhile  several  regiments,  including  the  Eighty-second  Illinois 
and  the  Twenty-sixth  Wisconsin  from  our  brigade,  went  gallantly  to  meet 
Early's  Division  of  Confederates  in  the  field  to  the  right.  We  remained  un 
molested,  except  by  the  enemy's  numerous  batteries  on  our  right,  in  this 
position  until  about  4  p.  M.,  when  our  regiment  was  withdrawn  to  the  rye 
field  in  support  of  the  One  hundred  and  fifty-seventh  New  York,  which  had 
gone  gallantly  forward  to  the  right  against  Gordon's  Brigade  of  Confederates. 
A  little  later  we  were  marching  leisurely  to  the  College,  where  most  of  our 
prisoners  captured  had  been  confined  tor  want  of  men  to  escort  them  to  the 
rear,  and  subsequently  were  forgotten.  We  made  preparations  to  defend  the 


380  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

College,  and  as  the  enemy  in  our  front  pressed  very  feebly  forward  expected  to 
make  a  stubborn  stand  there,  although  we  saw  the  left  of  the  First  Corps 
broken  to  pieces  and  pursued  by  overwhelming  numbers  of  the  enemy  making 
for  the  left  of  the  town.  We  also  saw  some  of  the  enemy  forming  squares 
against  some  of  our  cavalry  to  the  left. 

We  remained  thus  stationed  about  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  when  suddenly 
our  division  bugler  sounded  the  retreat,  and  then  the  double-quick.  The 
latter,  however,  was  not  obeyed  by  the  greater  portion  of  our  brigade,  then 
commanded  by  Col.  George  Van  Amsberg,  and  we  retreated  slowly  left  in 
front  into  the  town,  cautiously  followed  by  the  enemy  in  the  rear;  but  when 
we  reached  the  Eagle  Hotel  we  were  fired  upon  from  the  west.  We  pushed 
ahead  another  square  towards  Cemetery  Hill,  where  Major  Koch,  at  the  head 
of  the  regiment,  was,  with  many  others,  wounded,  and  the  regiment  turned 
back  and  entered  Chambersburg  street,  and  passed  through  the  alleys  on  each 
side  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  over  the  fences  to  Cemetery  Hill  with  the  regi 
mental  battle  flags  saved;  but  the  first  four  right  companies  and  portions  of 
other  companies  forming  the  rear  now  also  came  under  fire  from  the  market 
place  (likewise  in  possession  of  the  enemy)  and  rear-faced  against  the  enemy 
each  way,  holding  them  at  bay.  Meanwhile  Lieut.  H.  Ahlert  had  taken 
possession  of  some  houses  near  the  Eagle  Hotel,  into  which  we  all  retreated, 
covering  the  Lutheran  Church  opposite.  Being  assisted  by  many  soldiers  of 
other  regiments  of  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps,  we  broke  down  the  fences  in 
the  yards,  and  Captain  Dietz  gained  more  houses  up  to  an  alley  near  the 
market  place,  occupying  windows,  barns  and  alleyways  from  which  the  enemy 
was  continually  harassed,  and  several  attempts  of  the  enemy  to  dislodge  us 
were  repelled  successfully. 

Repeated  demands  to  surrender  were  refused  until  towards  sundown,  when 
Captain  Irsch  was  invited,  after  a  parley,  to  come  out  under  a  safe  conduct  and 
see  the  hopelessness  of  further  defence,  which  being  accepted,  he  was  taken 
to  the  market  place  where  a  brigade  of  infantry  and  a  battery  were  drawn  up. 
Baltimore  Street,  up  to  the  base  of  Cemetery  Hill,  was  filled  with  Confederate 
troops;  the  eastern  and  western  outskirts  were  full  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
fields  in  front  of  the  town  were  massed  with  infantry  and  artillery,  and  no 
Federals  in  sight,  excepting  such  as  having  taken  refuge  in  cellars  and  houses 
were  brought  out  as  prisoners. 

Upon  returning  and  reporting  what  he  saw,  Captain  Irsch,  with  other 
officers,  ordered  their  men  to  destroy  their  arms  and  ammunition  and  throw 
them  into  the  wells,  and  then  all  formally  surrendered.  While  being  taken  to 
the  rear  past  the  College  we  saw  many  of  our  former  prisoners  free.  As  we 
passed  the  lane  near  the  Mummasburg  Road,  where  we  fought  during  the  day, 
we  saw  a  great  many  of  the  enemy's  dead  and  wounded,  and  some  of  ours. 

A  remarkable  incident  happened  (brought  to  our  knowledge  as  we  talked 
with  some  of  our  former  prisoners) :  One  of  the  Confederates,  named  Schwarz, 
asked  whether  his  brother,  who  belonged  to  our  Company  "  B,"  was  among  us. 
This  brought  out  the  fact  that  the  interrogator  was  among  the  prisoners  taken 
from  McLean's  red  barn,  and  as  Companies  A  and  B,  under  Captain  Korn  and 
Lieutenant  Lindemeyer,  took  most  of  the  prisoners  at  and  in  the  barn,  lie 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  381 

recognized  his  brother  of  Company  B,  and  they  embraced  right  there  and  then, 
not  having  seen  each  other  since  they  left  Germany  many  years  previous. 
The  brother,  of  Company  B  (Corporal  Schwarz),  was  killed  while  his  Con 
federate  brother  was  being  marched  to  the  rear  as  our  prisoner. 

The  remnant  of  the  regiment,  with  its  battle  flags,  reached  Cemetery  Hill  in 
safety  under  Captain  Searles,  and  supported  the  artillery  that  night  and  on 
the  following  day.  On  the  night  of  the  second  day,  with  the  Eighty-second 
Illinois,  of  our  brigade,  it  went  to  the  assistance  of  General  Greene's  Brigade, 
Twelfth  Corps,  at  Gulp's  Hill,  and  helped  to  drive  out  the  Confederates,  who 
had  gained  possession  of  some  rifle-pits  of  ours  during  a  night  attack.  The 
regiment  returned  at  daylight  to  protect  our  artillery  at  Cemetery  Hill. 

During  the  third  day  General  Schurz  called  for  volunteer  sharpshooters  to 
dislodge  the  enemy's  sharpshooters,  who  killed  so  many  of  our  artillerymen 
that  it  became  almost  impossible  to  work  our  guns.  Ten  good  shots  under 
Sergeant  Link  volunteered,  and  being  posted  in  barns  and  houses  at  the  edge 
of  the  southern  portion  of  the  town,  they  did  such  effective  work  that  our 
artillery  was  unmolested  from  this  source.  They  also  assisted  effectively  in 
breaking  up  Pickett's  famous  charge.  Every  one  of  these  ten  brave  men  was 
killed  or  wounded. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Fourth  of  July  the  regiment  was  resting.  In  the 
afternoon  it  went  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy.  Many  of  our  comrades  were  prison 
ers  since  the  evening  of  the  first  day,  hearing  and  occasionally  seeing  the  battles 
of  the  2d  and  3d  of  July.  They  refused  proffered  parole  and  liberty  twice,  and 
marched  into  wretched  captivity,  where  many  died  or  were  crippled  for  life  by 
want  and  exposure.  Those  that  returned  joined  the  regiment  in  the  West, 
where  they  did  good  service  in  the  Chattanooga  and  Atlanta  campaigns,  went 
to  the  relief  of  Knoxville,  served  under  General  Thomas  in  Tennessee,  partici 
pated  in  the  battle  of  Nashville,  and  were  finally  mustered  out  October  i,  1865. 

Previous  to  Gettysburg  the  regiment  participated  in  all  the  campaigns  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  served  under  Generals  Blenker,  Fremont,  Sigel, 
and  Pope  in  Virginia.  The  number  of  killed,  n,  and  wounded,  61,  officially 
mentioned  at  Gettysburg  is  under  the  actual  number  by  at  least  one-half, 
many  of  the  killed  and  wounded  being  included  among  the  missing  and 
prisoners.  As  many  of  the  Union  dead,  on  the  first  day,  had  been  stripped  of 
their  clothing  they  could  not  be  identified. 

All  the  slightly  wounded,  among  the  captured,  were  taken  to  Southern 
prisons,  and  their  wounds  were  not  reported.  So  it  may  be  fairly  computed 
that  the  regiment  lost  in  the  three-days  battle  of  Gettysburg,  30  killed  and 
about  100  wounded,  out  of  about  400  officers  and  men  in  action. 


582  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 

49TH 

N.  Y.  INF'Y. 
3D  BRIG  2D  DIV   €TH  CORPS 

(Reverse.) 

HELD  THIS  POSITION 

JULY  3,  1863. 

MUSTERED  IN 

AUG.  26,  1 86 1. 

ENGAGED  IN  30  BATTLES 

MUSTERED  OUT 

JUNE  27,  1865. 


J.  B.  T.YON   PRINT. 


49TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
On  Wolf  Hill  ;   ground   occupied   by  Xeil's  Brigade. 


F.    J.    SEVERENCF,  PHOTO. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  383 

DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT. 
49TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

July  2,  1893. 

INVOCATION  BY  REV.  S.  S.  BALLOU,  49™  N.  Y.  VOLS. 

Our  Heavenly  Father,  we  come  before  Thee  to  render  unto  Thee  the  thanks 
giving  of  our  hearts  for  Thy  kindness  unto  us,  in  the  preservation  of  our  lives, 
and  granting  to  us  the  privilege  of  again  standing  upon  this  sacred  and  historic 
snot,  hallowed  to  us  by  so  many  precious  memories,  and  mirchased  bv  so  great 
cost.  We  thank  Thee  for  our  country,  preserved  in  its  unity  by  the  brave  men 
who  upon  this  and  many  other  fields  of  battle  gave  their  lives  that  human  liberty 
might  not  perish  among  men.  We  are  here  in  remembrance  of  them;  here  as 
survivors  of  the  regimental  organization  to  which  we  belonged,  to  dedicate  to 
their  memories,  in  honor  of  what  they  wrought,  this  granite  shaft,  erected  by 
the  great  State  they  represented  in  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  our  national 
unity.  Bless  Thou  us  as  we  gather  upon  this  beautiful  day.  Bless  the  country 
we  love  and  the  flag  we  carried.  May  it  ever  wave  as  the  emblem  of  a  free 
people,  worthy  of  the  heritage  bequeathed  to  us  by  our  fathers  and  perpetuated 
by  their  sons  in  the  conflict  which  cost  so  much  of  life  and  treasure  on  this  and 
other  fields  of  battle.  Bless,  we  pray  Thee,  these  comrades,  some  of  whom  meet 
together  for  the  first  time  since  the  great  conflict  ended.  We  thank  Thee  that 
so  many  survived  the  perils  of  camp  and  field,  and  are  here  to-day  to  participate 
in  these  interesting  exercises.  As  they  were  faithful  to  the  flag,  so  may  they 
be  faithful  to  all  moral  principle;  as  they  were  true  in  their  consecration  of  life, 
to  country  and  cause,  so  may  they  be  true  to  all  duties  involved  in  American 
citizenship;  and  when  our  earthly  life  shall  have  come  to  an  end,  may  we  be 
received  into  the  grand  encampment  above,  whither  our  comrades  and  the 
great  leaders  of  the  armies  that  served  the  Nation  are  gathered.  And  to  Thy 
name  Avill  we  give  praise  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 


ADDRESS  BY  A.  H.  McKELVEY, 
PRESIDENT  REGIMENTAL  ASSOCIATION. 

COMRADES  OF  THE  DEAR  OLD  FORTY-NINTH  REGIMENT: 

We  are  here  on  one  of  the  historic  clays  of  American  history.  We  are  stand 
ing  on  sacred  ground,  and  on  a  spot  hallowed  by  the  most  tender  associations 
that  can  bind  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men  together.  We  are  a  part  of  the  grand 
Army  of  the  Potomac  that  stood  as  a  mountain  wall  between  the  North  and 
South;  between  slavery  and  freedom;  between  partisan  hate  and  sectional 
animosity.  We  are  assembled  in  a  peaceful  manner  on  this  beautiful  July 
day  where  thirty  years  ago  we  stood  as  soldiers  of  the  Republic,  with  arms  in 
our  hands,  and  with  a  determination  to  win  the  battle  or  die  on  the  field. 

After  three  decades  of  peace,  plenty,  and  prosperity,  we  have  returned  to  the 
field  —  world  famed  —  of  Gettysburg,  at  the  call  of  and  by  the  generosity  of  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Empire  State,  to  dedicate  our  monument  erected  to  the  bravery  of  the  living 
and  the  memory  of  the  dead. 

While  this  sad  and  solemn  duty  is  laid  upon  the  survivors  of  our  gallant 
regiment,  let  us  realize  that  the  great  majority  of  our  band  of  heroes  are  in  the 
eternal  world.  And  may  it  not  be  that  God,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  allows 
them  to  look  down  on  this  scene  this  afternoon,  and  joining  our  circle  prompt 
us  to  say  and  do  the  right  things?  If  our  eyes  could  be  opened  to  the 
realities  of  the  spiritual  world  we  might  behold  a  Bidwell,  a  Johnson,  an  Ellis, 
a  Holt,  a  Drake,  a  Heacock,  a  Terry,  a  Bullymore,  a  Marsh,  a  Tyler,  a  Car 
penter,  a  Preston,  and  a  host  of  the  rank  and  file  gazing  on  the  marble  tablet 
with  bright  and  tender  eyes. 

The  immortal  Sedgwick  would  also  be  with  us  as  the  commander  of  the 
famous  rear  guard  from  Fredericksburg  to  Gettysburg,  arriving  on  the  field 
after  that  ever-memorable  march  of  forty  miles  on  July  2,  1863,  just  in 
time  to  save  the  broken  ranks  of  Sickles  and  Meade  from  defeat  and  disaster 
irreparable.  As  was  Blucher  and  his  host  to  Wellington,  so  was  Sedgwick  and 
the  Sixth  Corps  to  Meade. 

This  monument  was  reared  by  a  grateful  people  to  commemorate  the  mili 
tary  services  and  death  of  every  member  of  the  Forty-ninth  New  York.  The 
time  is  soon  coming  when  the  150  survivors  of  the  organization  shall  answer 
to  the  last  roll  call  on  earth.  Our  children  and  their  children's  children  will 
come  from  all  parts  of  our  broad  land,  and  stand  and  gaze  on  this  marble 
shaft  and  claim  the  highest  honor  open  to  an  American  citizen  by  exclaiming, 
"  My  father,  or  my  brother,  or  my  ancestor,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Forty-ninth 
Regiment,  New  York,  in  the  great  War  of  the  Rebellion." 

Comrades,  gaze  on  this  tablet,  set  up  by  the  State  under  whose  banners  we 
served  during  the  greatest  war  known  to  history,  and  let  us  resolve  that  because 
of  this  reminder  of  our  heroic  acts  and  deeds  during  our  country's  peril  we  will 
be  truer  men,  better  citizens,  more  loving"  husbands,  more  faithful  fathers,  more 
devoted  patriots,  and  more  consecrated  children  of  our  Heavenly  Father. 


ADDRESS  OF  COMRADE  JOHN  H.  PICKETT. 
COMRADES: 

Upon  this  pleasant  day  we  are  here  to  greet  each  other  and  to  meet  in  dedi 
cating  this,  our  monument, —  "  Ours  "  of  the  Forty-ninth,  a  regiment  in  whose 
ranks  we  became  veterans,  a  regiment  which  in  good  purpose  and  in  soldierly 
duty,  as  judged  by  the  records,  is  second  to  none.  In  whatever  was  the  record 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  whatever  the  record  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  of  Gen. 
"  Baldy  "  Smith's  Second  Division,  and  General  Davidson's  old  brigade,  the 
Forty-ninth  has  borne  no  small  part. 

Thirty  years  ago  to-day  we  passed  through  Westminster  and  Manchester, 
Maryland,  in  close  pursuit  of  our  old  enemy,  so  long  opposed  to  us.  The 
evening  of  the  2d  of  July,  1863,  found  us  making  coffee  on  the  left  of  the  Taney- 
town  Road,  after  one  of  the  most  unexampled  marches  that  could  be  made,  and 
that  over  a  limestone  pike,  under  the  fierce  rays  of  a  hot  July  sun. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  385 

The  morning  of  July  3d  found  the  Forty-ninth  occupying  a  position  on  Rock 
Creek,  upon  the  extreme  right  flank  —  a  position  which  to  many  thinking 
minds,  if  Lee's  plans  had  not  miscarried  —  might  have  proved  to  be  the  vital 
point  of  action  in  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg.  To  many  it  will  seem  that  the 
placing  of  the  Third  Brigade  in  the  position  they  occupied  was  sending  them 
to  an  undoubted  and  unmistakable  post  of  honor. 

Comrades,  this  monument  given  by  the  State  of  New  York,  we  hereby  dedi 
cate  deep  in  our  hearts,  not  so  much  for  service  rendered  here,  but  as  a  reminder 
of  other  and  countless  services, —  in  the  Chickahominy  Swamps  under  Mc- 
Clellan;  under  Gen.  John  Pope  at  the  Second  Bull  Run;  again  under  McClellan 
at  Antietam,  in  the  Maryland  Campaign;  under  Burnside  at  Fredericksburg; 
Hooker  at  Chancellorsville;  of  the  supreme  pleasure  of  crossing  Marye's 
Heights  with  Gen.  John  Sedgwick;  here  upon  this  memorable  field  with  Meacle; 
with  Grant  through  all  his  left  flank  movements  to  Petersburg;  with  Wright  at 
Fort  Stevens  in  defence  of  Washington;  with  dashing  Phil  Sheridan  in  the 
"  Valley;  "  and  lastly,  with  Grant  again  at  Five  Forks  and  Appomattox.  May 
this  monument  be  a  reminder  of  the  camp;  of  the  march,  in  winter's  storm,  in 
heat  of  summer,  at  midday,  and  at  midnight,  at  dawn  of  day  and  at  close  of  eve; 
be  a  reminder  of  our  many  dead  on  so  many  fields.  May  this  monument  be  a 
reminder  of  our  duty  to  our  country,  our  God,  and  to  ourselves  in  patriotic  devo 
tion  to  every  interest  that  might  sway  the  citizens  of  this,  our  blessed,  peaceful, 
prosperous  land. 


ADDRESS  OF  COMRADE  N.  R.  THOMPSON. 
COMRADES: 

This  is  a  day  I  have  looked  forward  to  with  a  great  deal  of  interest  and  fond 
anticipation.  This  is  a  day  long  to  be  remembered.  This  occasion,  this  meet 
ing  on  this  sacred  spot,  brings  vividly  to  mind  many  of  the  scenes  and  incidents 
of  those  three  years  we  were  associated  together,  scenes  and  incidents  so  indel 
ibly  stamped  upon  our  memories  that  time  in  its  onward  progress  can  never 
obliterate  them.  I  have  stood  at  the  monument  of  our  beloved  Colonel  Bidwell, 
I  have  stood  at  the  graves  of  our  much  loved  and  brave  Captain  Terry  and  Lieu 
tenant  Tyler,  and  now  with  a  thankful  but  sad  heart  I  stand  here  at  the  base 
of  this  beautiful  monument,  reared  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  all  the  noble 
boys  of  the  Forty-ninth  that  fell  in  defence  of  our  country,  wherever  in  this 
land  they  may  be  buried.  O,  the  memories  this  meeting  awakens!  Memories 
of  brave  deeds  done  and  kind  associations  of  those  who  have  answered  the 
last  roll  call !  The  Forty-ninth  Regiment  in  deeds  of  valor  and  daring,  of  hard 
ships  endured  and  services  rendered,  stands  second  to  no  body  of  men  that  went 
into  the  service.  History  will  bear  out  this  assertion.  Let  the  few  of  us  that 
remain,  ever  hold  in  grateful  remembrance  the  memories  of  those  who  have 
answered  the  last  roll  call,  and  so  live  that  when  the  last  roll  call  comes  for  us 
we  may  meet  in  that  grand  and  final  union  above. 

25 


386  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

ADDRESS  OF  COLONEL  THOMAS  T.  CLUNKY. 

COMRADES: 

We  have  gathered  here  to-day  to  dedicate  this  monument  which  marks  the 
spot  where  thirty  years  ago  we  filed  in  line  of  battle,  to  help  protect  the  right 
wing  of  one  of  the  grandest  armies  that  the  world  ever  knew.  And  when  I  look 
at  this  stone  wall,  behind  which  we  lay,  and  yonder  at  that  old  stone  house, 
sad  memories  fill  my  heart;  for  it  brings  back  recollections  of  the  brave  men 
who  fell  on  this  bloody  field. 

Comrades,  I  wish  I  had  command  of  my  feelings  on  this  occasion  and  com 
mand  of  language  so  that  I  could  recount  the  history  of  this  grand  old  regi 
ment  from  its  organization  until  the  time  of  mustering  out,  and  also  a  history 
of  the  grand  old  brigade ;  but  time  will  not  permit.  I  can  only  add  that  I  long 
to  shake  the  hand  of  every  man  that  is  left  of  that  old  Third  Brigade  who  stood 
shoulder  to  shoulder  with  us  on  so  many  well-fought  battlefields.  There  are 
some  of  those  old  bronzed  veterans  of  the  Third  Brigade  with  us  here  to-day, 
helping  by  their  presence  to  dedicate  this  monument  which  stands  on  hallowed 
ground,  made  so  by  the  blood  of  the  men  who  fell  here.  To  you,  my  com 
rades,  I  can  find  no  better  way  to  express  my  feelings  than  in  these  words : 

"The  comrades  of  the  Third  Brigade  were  ever  brave  and  true; 
We  greet  them  when  we  meet  them  as  flowers  greet  the  dew. 
No  other  men  are  dearer,  tho'  born  of  kindred  mould; 
And  while  we  prize  our  new  friends,  we  treasure  more  the  old. 

"  There  are  no  friends  like  comrades  to  help  you  with  the  load 
That  all  must  bear  who  journey  over  life's  uneven  road; 
And  when  unconquered  battles  the  weary  hours  invest, 
Old  comrades  of  the  Third  Brigade  have  ever  proved  the  best. 

"  There  are  no  friends  like  comrades  where'er  you  dwell  or  roam, 
In  lands  beyond  the  ocean  or  near  the  bounds  of  home; 
And  when  they  smile  to  gladden,  or  sometimes  frown  to  guide, 
We  often  wish  our  comrades  true  were  always  by  our  side. 

"  There  are  no  friends  like  comrades  to  soothe  our  frequent  fears, 
When  shadows  fall  and  deepen  o'er  life's  declining  years. 
And  when  our  faltering  footsteps  shall  pass  the  Great  Divide, 
We'll  grasp  the  hands  of  comrades  upon  the  other  side." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  387 

FORTY-NINTH  NEW  YORK  VOLUNTEERS. 
HISTORICAL  SKETCH  BY  SERGT.  A.  H.  MCKELVEY. 

The  Forty-ninth  New  York  was  organized  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  by  Maj.  Daniel 
D.  Bidwell,  in  August  and  September,  1861.  Four  of  the  companies  were 
recruited  in  Buffalo  and  in  Erie  County;  four  in  Chautauqua  County;  one  in 
Niagara  County;  and  one  in  Westchester  County.  The  field  officers  were  Col. 
Daniel  D.  Bidwell,  Lieut.  Col.  William  C.  Alberger,  and  Maj.  George  W. 
Johnson. 

The  regiment  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service,  September  18, 
1861.  The  State  issued  846  smooth-bore  muskets,  calibre  69,  "  buck-and-ball," 
and  Governor  Morgan,  on  behalf  of  the  State,  presented  it  with  a  stand  of 
National  colors.  Two  days  later,  it  left  its  barracks  at  Fort  Porter,  having 
been  ordered  to  Washington,  where  it  was  joined  by  Company  C,  the  West- 
Chester  county  company.  It  went  into  camp  "  Jim  Adams,"  on  Meridian  Hill, 
for  a  day  or  two;  going  from  there  into  Virginia,  across  the  Chain  Bridge,  and 
camping  near  the  river  at  Fort  Ethan  Allen.  While  in  this  camp,  an  advance 
was  made  to  Upton's  Hill,  and  the  Forty-ninth  had  their  first  "  scare,"  being 
ordered  into  the  fort  at  midnight.  The  brigade  was  now  advanced,  and  settled 
down  in  "  Camp  Advance,"  where  they  lay  all  winter.  At  first  it  was  attached 
to  Stevens'  Brigade,  with  which  it  participated  in  the  skirmish  at  Lewinsville, 
Va.,  October  14,  1861,  in  which  affair  it  was  under  fire  for  the  first  time,  and 
two  of  the  men  were  wounded. 

It  was,  subsequently,  assigned  to  Davidson's  Brigade,  Smith's  Division, 
Fourth  Corps,  with  which  command  it  entered  on  the  Peninsula  campaign 
under  General  McClellan,  in  March,  1862. 

During  the  Siege  of  Yorktown,  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  affair  at 
Lee's  Mill,  on  the  Warwick  River,  in  which  Milton  Lewis,  of  Company  K,  the 
first  man  killed  in  its  ranks,  met  his  fate.  He  was  from  Chautauqua  County, 
and  it  is  said  that  of  the  men  who  went  from  that  county  to  the  war,  he  was  the 
first  one  killed.  On  the  formation  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  in  May,  1862,  the  brigade 
and  division  was  placed  in  that  command.  The  brigade,  now  in  Smith's 
(Second)  Division,  of  Franklin's  (Sixth)  Corps,  was  composed  of  the  Seventh 
Maine,  Twentieth,  Thirty-third,  Forty-ninth,  and  Seventy-seventh  New  York 
regiments. 

On  the  1 3th  of  May  it  advanced  to  Mechanicsville,  near  Richmond,  and  drove 
the  enemy  out  of  the  town.  At  the  Battle  of  Games'  Mill  and  Golding's  Farm, 
on  the  2/th  and  28th  of  the  same  month,  the  Forty-ninth  was  actively  engaged, 
again  suffering  losses  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  regiment  was  in  line  at 
Savage  Station  and  Malvern  Hill,  and  at  White  Oak  Swamp  was  under  fire, 
holding  back  the  enemy,  supporting  a  section  of  artillery,  and  being  the  last 
infantry  to  withdraw  from  the  field. 

After  the  Seven  Days'  Battle,  the  regiment,  with  the  army,  lay  at  Harrison's 
Landing  for  six  weeks.  General  Davidson  having  been  transferred  to  the 
Department  of  Missouri,  Col.  William  H.  Irwin,  of  the  Forty-ninth  Pennsyl 
vania,  was  placed  in  command  of  the  brigade.  On  the  withdrawal  of  the  army 


388  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

from  the  Peninsula,  it  marched  from  Harrison's  Landing  back  to  Yorktown  and 
Big  Bethel,  reaching  Hampton  on  August  21,  1862,  where  it  embarked  in 
transports  for  Alexandria,  Va.  Arriving  there  on  the  23d,  the  regiment  went 
into  camp  near  Fort  Ellsworth. 

The  Sixth  Corps  was  ordered  on  the  2Qth  to  the  support  of  Pope's  army, 
which  was  then  righting  at  Manassas,  but  owing  to  some  delay,  it  did  not 
arrive  on  that  ill-fated  field  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle,  and  on  September 
ist  returned  to  Alexandria, 

After  a  rest  of  three  days,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  once  more  under  the 
command  of  General  McClellan,  started  on  the  Maryland  campaign.  The 
Forty-ninth  was  present,  September  i/j-th,  at  the  Battle  of  Crampton's  Pass, 
where  it  was  deployed  as  skirmishers  on  the  road  leading  to  the  Catoctin  Moun 
tain,  but  sustained  no  casualties.  On  the  I7th  the  brigade  was  hotly  engaged 
in  the  bloody  battle  of  Antietam,  going  into  action  about  10  o'clock  a.  m.  in 
front  of  the  Dunker  Church,  where  it  made  a  dashing  and  effective  charge.  In 
this  fight  the  Forty-ninth  was  commanded  by  Lieut.  Col.  William  C.  Alberger, 
who  was  severely  wounded  in  the  face  by  a  splinter  of  a  shell,  and'  obliged  to 
leave  the  field,  the  command  devolving  then  on  Maj.  George  W.  Johnson.  The 
regiment  lost  23  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  received  honorable  mention  in  the 
official  reports  for  the  gallant  manner  in  which  it  made  a  charge,  while  Gen. 
"  Baldy  "  Smith,  the  division  commander,  secured  high  praise  for  this  brilliant 
act  of  the  brigade. 

The  brigade,  now  commanded  by  Gen.  Francis  L.  Vinton,  was  present  at 
Fredericksburg,  December  13,  1862.  General  Vinton  receiving  a  serious  wound 
during  the  fighting,  he  was  succeeded  by  Gen.  Thomas  H.  Neill.  In  this  battle 
the  Forty-ninth  lost  3  officers  and  6  enlisted  men  wounded.  The  regiment 
then  went  into  winter  quarters  with  its  corps  near  White  Oak  Church,  a  few 
miles  from  Aquia  Creek,  where  it  remained  until  April  28,  1863,  when  the 
army  broke  camp  for  the  Chancellorsville  campaign.  The  Sixth  Corps  was 
commanded  by  General  Sedgwick,  the  Second  Division  by  General  Howe,  and 
the  Third  Brigade,  to  which  the  Forty-ninth  New  York  still  belonged,  by  Gen 
eral  Neill.  Prior  to  the  opening  of  the  campaign,  General  Hooker  issued  his 
notable  order  providing  for  corps  badges  to  be  worn  on  the  men's  caps,  the 
Greek  cross  being  assigned  to  the  Sixth  Corps,  red  for  the  First  Division,  white 
for  the  Second,  and  blue  for  the  Third.  The  men  of  the  Forty-ninth  affixed  the 
white  flannel  crosses  to  their  caps,  an  honored  badge  which  they  were  destined 
to  wear  throughout  the  remainder  of  the  war,  and  which,  emblazoned  on  the 
battle  flag  of  their  division,  waved  over  many  a  succeeding  field  in  victory  and 
historic  glory. 

While  the  main  army  marched  away  to  Chancellorsville,  the  Sixth  Corps 
was  left  to  fight  at  Fredericksburg,  where,  on  May  3d,  it  carried,  by  a  success 
ful  assault,  the  enemy's  position  on  Marye's  Heights,  which  in  the  previous 
battle  had  proved  impregnable.  On  the  morning  of  the  following  day,  the 
Forty-ninth,  under  Colonel  Bidwell,  was  engaged  with  a  Confederate  brigade 
near  the  plank  road,  in  which  affair  the  regiment  captured  200  prisoners  and 
the  colors  of  the  Fifty-eighth  Virginia.  The  casualties  in  the  Forty-ninth  dur 
ing  this  battle  aggregated  35  in  killed,  wounded,  and  captured.  Here  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  389 

corps  that  never  suffered  a  defeat  was  virtually  surrounded  by  Lee's  army,  after 
Hooker's  defeat  at  Chancellorsville,  but  it  fought  its  way  out  and  withdrew  to 
the  left  bank  of  the  river. 

On  June  I3th,  the  Sixth  Corps  left  its  camp  before  Fredericksburg  and  started 
on  the  Pennsylvania  campaign,  which  was  to  culminate  at  Gettysburg.  It 
arrived  at  Manchester,  Md.,  on  the  29th,  after  a  series  of  long,  hot,  and  tiresome 
marches,  having  covered  over  250  miles  in  seven  days.  Leaving  Manchester  on 
the  evening  of  July  ist,  it  made  a  forced  march  of  36  miles  during  the  night 
and  succeeding  day,  arriving  at  Gettysburg  at  4  p.  m.,  July  2d.  Neill's  Brigade 
was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Slocum,  who  was  in  command  on  the  right, 
and  was  placed  in  support  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  artillery.  The  next  day,  on 
the  3d,  the  brigade  crossed  Rock  Creek,  and,  capturing  a  wooded  hftl,  made 
a  vigorous  and  successful  attack  on  the  skirmish  line  of  Johnson's  Division, 
which  was  protecting  the  extreme  left  of  Lee's  army. 

On  July  5th,  the  Sixth  Corps  started  in  hot  pursuit  of  the  retreating  enemy, 
overtaking  Lee's  rear  guard  at  Fairfield,  Pa.,  where  a  sharp  skirmish  occurred, 
in  which  the  Forty-ninth  lost  I  man  killed  and  5  wounded.  The  brigade  was 
then  ordered  to  Waynesboro,  Pa.,  where  it  remained  a  few  days,  the  Forty-ninth 
acting  as  provost-guard  in  the  town.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  pursued  Lee's 
defeated  veterans  back  into  Virginia,  after  which  the  regiment  encamped  a 
short  time  at  Culpeper. 

After  participating  in  the  marching  and  countermarching  of  Meade's  army 
in  October,  the  capture  of  the  Confederate  works  at  Rappahannock  Station, 
November  7th,  and  the  Mine  Run  campaign,  the  regiment  went  into  winter 
quarters  near  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  early  in  December,  1863.  In  the  latter  part 
of  the  month,  about  175  of  the  230  original  members  present  re-enlisted  for  the 
war,  and  received  the  usual  thirty  days'  furlough.  Up  to  this  time  the  Forty- 
ninth  had  lost  comparatively  few  men  in  action.  Although  it  participated  in 
all  the  previous  campaigns  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  was  actively 
engaged  in  several  battles,  its  losses  prior  to  May,  1864,  aggregated  73  in  killed 
and  wounded.  But  it  was  now  about  to  start  on  a  campaign  in  which  hun 
dreds,  including  many  of  its  best  and  bravest,  were  to  fall  before  the  bullets  of 
the  enemy. 

On  May  4,  1864,  the  Forty-ninth,  numbering  384,  rank  and  file,  left  its  winter 
camp  at  Brandy  Station,  and,  with  the  Sixth  Corps,  crossed  the  Rapidan  at 
Germanna  Ford.  The  brigade,  now  under  command  of  Colonel  Bidwell,  was 
engaged  on  the  5th  and  6th,  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  where  for  30  hours 
it  withstood  the  desperate  and  persistent  attack  to  drive  it  from  its  position. 
On  the  loth,  the  regiment  was  engaged  at  Spotsylvania.  Colonel  Bidwell 
states  in  his  official  report  that:  "  On  the  morning  of  the  loth  the  Forty-ninth 
New  York  Volunteers  was  sent  forward,  and  charged  the  outer  line  of  the 
enemy,  and  captured  it  with  a  number  of  prisoners." 

On  the  morning  of  the  I2th,  the  brigade  moved  to  the  rear  of  the  position 
captured  just  before  by  General  Hancock's  troops.  Colonel  Bidwell  deployed 
his  regiments,  whereupon  the  Forty-ninth  and  Seventy-seventh  New  York 
charged  the  famous  "Angle,"  and  took  possession  of  the  crest  commanding  it, 
which  they  held  until  they  were  relieved.  But  the  troops  which  relieved  them 


390 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


were  driven  back,  and  these  two  regiments,  with  a  portion  of  the  Vermont 
Brigade,  formed  and  retook  the  crest. 

During  this  week  of  fighting  at  the  Wilderness  and  Spotsylvania,  the  regi 
ment  lost  231  in  killed  and  wounded  out  of  the  384  officers  and  men  who 
crossed  the  Rapidan  on  May  5th.  Of  this  number,  89  were  killed  or  mortally 
wounded.  Ten  officers  were  killed  and  four  wounded.  At  the  Wilderness,  Cap 
tains  Hickmott,  Plogsted,  and  Wiggins,  and  Lieutenants  Valentine  and  Preston 
lost  their  lives.  At  Spotsylvania,  Maj.  William  Ellis,  Captains  Heacock  and 
Terry,  and  Lieutenants  Hass  and  Tyler  were  killed.  Major  Ellis  was  mortally 
wounded  while  leading  the  regiment  in  a  daring  charge  on  the  enemy's  works. 
Ke  was  hit  with  one  of  the  iron  ramrods,  used  by  the  infantry  in  those  days, 
which  some  excited  Confederate  had  neglected  to  remove  from  his  rifle  barrel 
before  firing.  This  rammer  passed  through  the  major's  left  arm  and  bruised 
his  chest  severely.  He  recovered  sufficiently  to  rejoin  the  regiment,  but  died 
suddenly  on  August  3d,  a  few  days  after  his  return.  At  the  autopsy,  a  splinter 
of  bone  from  one  of  the  ribs  was  found  with  its  acute  point  piercing  the  vital 
organs. 

After  crossing  the  North  Anna  on  May  25th,  the  division  —  Getty's  of  the 
Sixth  Corps  —  moved  to  Hanover  Court  House,  where  it  assisted  in  destroying 
the  railroads  at  that  place,  and  thence,  on  the  3Oth,  to  Totopotomoy  Creek,  on 
the  right  of  the  army;  thence  June  ist  to  Cold  Harbor,  where  the  brigade, 
including  the  Forty-ninth,  took  part  in  the  unsuccessful  assault. 

The  brigade  remained  in  the  trenches  at  Cold  Harbor  ten  days,  and  then 
marched  to  the  James  River,  which  it  crossed  on  the  night  of  the  i6th.  It 
arrived  in  front  of  Petersburg  the  next  day,  where  it  relieved  the  Eighteenth 
Corps.  On  June  22d,  the  corps  was  engaged  in  the  affair  near  the  Weldon 
Railroad,  after  which  it  returned  to  its  position  in  front  of  Petersburg,  near  the 
Williams  House,  the  brigade  holding  the  extreme  left  of  the  line. 

The  Sixth  Corps  having  been  ordered  to  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  the  troops 
embarked  at  City  Point,  on  the  James  River,  and  proceeded  to  Washington, 
arriving  there  on  July  nth,  just  in  time  to  check  the  advance  of  General  Early's 
Confederate  corps  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city.  On  the  next  day  occurred  the 
battle  at  Fort  Stevens,  in  the  suburbs  of  Washington,  a  sharp  fight  which  fell 
almost  entirely  to  the  lot  of  Bidwell's  Brigade.  In  this  affair,  Lieut.  Col. 
George  W.  Johnson,  who  was  in  command  of  the  Forty-ninth,  and  Lieutenant 
Lambert  of  the  regiment  were  killed.  President  Lincoln  was  present  at  this 
battle.  He  watched  the  fighting  from  a  position  on  the  parapet  of  Fort  Stevens, 
where  he  stood  by  the  side  of  General  Wright,  the  commander  of  the  Sixth 
Corps. 

The  Sixth,  together  with  the  Nineteenth  Corps,  pursued  the  retreating  Con 
federates  into  Virginia  and  through  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  The  Forty-ninth 
was  actively  engaged  in  all  the  fighting  under  Sheridan  in  his  famous  Valley 
campaign,  including  the  battles  of  Winchester  (or  the  Opequon)  Fisher's  Hill, 
and  Cedar  Creek. 

The  three  years  for  which  the  regiment  enlisted  expired  September  17,  1864, 
at  which  time  Major  Breeze  and  89  veterans  returned  to  Buffalo,  where  they 
were  mustered  out.  There  remained  in  the  field  410  members,  composed  of 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  391 

re-enlisted  men  or  recruits  whose  term  of  enlistment  had  not  expired.  These 
were  consolidated  into  a  battalion  of  five  companies  under  command  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Erastus  D.  Holt. 

In  the  fighting  at  Fort  Stevens  and  in  the  Valley,  the  regiment  lost  over 
loo  in  killed  and  wounded.  General  Bidwell,  the  former  colonel  of  the  Forty- 
ninth,  lost  his  life  at  Cedar  Creek,  where  he  was  mortally  wounded  by  a  frag 
ment  of  a  shell. 

Returning  to  the  siege  of  Petersburg,  in  December,  1864,  the  regiment  took 
position  in  the  trenches  and  participated  in  the  picket  duty  and  skirmishing 
incidental  to  the  situation.  On  April  2,  1865,  the  Forty-ninth  bore  a  prominent 
part  in  the  final  and  successful  assault  on  the  enemy's  works  around  Peters 
burg,  in  which  Colonel  Holt  was  mortally  wounded.  General  Getty,  command 
ing  Second  Division,  Sixth  Corps,  in  his  official  report  of  the  assault  of  April 
2d,  recommends  several  officers  and  enlisted  men  for  promotion  on  account  of 
their  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  this  battle,  among  whom  were  Capt. 
H.  G.  Gifford,  Maj.  George  H.  Selkirk,  Lieut.  F.  W.  French,  and  Corp.  Thomas 
Pendergast,  of  the  Forty-ninth  New  York. 

At  Sailor's  Creek,  April  6th,  the  corps  had  a  sharp  engagement  with  a  portion 
of  the  rebel  army.  After  the  surrender,  it  was  ordered  to  Dansville,  Va.,  and 
while  there  the  Forty-ninth  was  detailed  to  act  as  escort  to  an  officer  connected 
with  the  corps  staff,  who  was  instructed  to  visit  Greensboro,  N.  C.,  and  confer 
with  General  Johnston,  who  commanded  all  of  the  Confederate  army  that  was 
left  at  that  time. 

The  war  was  over  and  the  gallant  little  battalion,  under  command  of  Col. 
George  H.  Selkirk,  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Washington,  June  27,  1865. 
With  18  officers  and  274  men,  all  that  remained  of  the  1,312  borne  upon  its 
rolls,  it  returned  to  Buffalo,  where  it  arrived  July  3d,  and  was  received  with 
the  honors  due  its  brilliant  record. 

In  the  book,  "  Regimental  Losses  in  the  American  Civil  War,"  by  Col. 
William  F.  Fox,  the  Forty-ninth  is  classified  as  one  of  the  300  regiments  sustain 
ing  the  greatest  losses  in  battle  during  the  war.  Colonel  Fox  states  the  losses 
of  the  regiment  as  follows: 

Enlisted 
Officers.          rcen.  TVtal. 

Killed  and  mortally  wounded   15  126  141 

Died  of  disease,  accidents,  etc 5  174  179 


20          300           320 

Total  of  killed  and  wounded,  521. 

Total  enrollment,  1,312;  killed,  141,  or  10.7  per  cent. 

Died  in  Confederate  prisons  (previously  included),  24. 

Battles.  Killed. 

Yorktown,  Va ! 

Chickahominy,  Va I 

White  Oak  Swamp,  Va I 

Antietam,  Md 


392  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Battles.  Killed. 

Fredericksburg,  Va.,  1862 2 

Fredericksburg,  Va.,  1863 4 

On  picket,  Pa.,  July  4,  1863 I 

Fairfield,   Pa I 

Wilderness,  Va 39 

Spotsylvania,  Va 52 

Cold  Harbor,  Va 5 

Fort  Stevens,  D.  C 7 

Charlestown,  W.  Va I 

Opequon,  Va 3 

Cedar  Creek,  Va 1 1 

Fall  of  Petersburg,  Va 3 

Place  unknown  .  2 


Present,  also,  at  Dranesville;  Williamsburg ;  Golding's  Farm;  Malvern  Hill; 
Crampton's  Pass;  Gettysburg;  Rappahannock  Station;  Mine  Run;  Sailor's 
Creek;  Appomattox. 

From  the  same  author  we  quote  the  following  historical  "  Notes :  "  "  Organ 
ized  at  Buffalo,  September  18,  1861.  The  regiment  arrived  in*  Washington, 
September  21,  1861,  and  was  assigned,  soon  after,  to  Davidson's  Brigade,  W.  F. 
Smith's  Division.  In  March,  1862,  this  division  was  placed  in  Keyes'  (Fourth) 
Corps,  and  accompanied  it  to  the  Peninsula;  but  on  May  18,  1862,  the  division 
was  detached,  and  used  in  forming  the  Sixth  Corps,  in  which  command  (Third 
Brigade,  Second  Division)  the  regiment  served  until  the  end  of  the  war. 
Although  the  regiment  participated  in  all  the  battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
in  1862  and  1863,  its  losses  were  comparatively  small  until  1864,  when  it  encoun 
tered  some  hard  fighting  and  severe  losses. 

"  The  Forty-ninth  started  on  Grant's  Virginia  Campaign  with  384  men,  losing 
at  the  Wilderness,  29  killed,  54  wounded,  and  6  missing;  total,  89.  Aniong 
the  killed  in  this  battle  were  10  officers.  At  Spotsylvania,  the  regiment  behaved 
with  especial  gallantry.  Its  losses  on  that  field  were  24  killed,  89  wounded, 
and  18  missing;  total,  131.  Its  term  of  service  expired  September  17,  1864, 
while  fighting  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  the  remnant  of  the  regiment 
went  home.  The  re-enlisted  men  and  recruits  with  unexpired  terms  were  left 
in  the  field,  and  formed  into  a  battalion  of  four  companies,  which  served  through 
the  war.  The  recruits  and  re-enlisted  men  of  the  Thirty-third  New  York  (a 
two-year  regiment)  were  consolidated  with  the  Forty-ninth  New  York  Bat 
talion. 

"At  Cedar  Creek,  this  battalion  sustained  a  loss  of  8  killed  and  30  wounded. 
The  Forty-ninth  suffered  a  severe  and  unusual  loss  in.  the  number  of  its  field 
officers  killed  in  action.  Colonel  Bidwell,  who  had  been  brevetted  general, 
was  killed  at  Cedar  Creek;  Major  Ellis  was  mortally  wounded  at  Spotsylvania; 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Johnson  was  killed  at  Fort  Stevens,  while  in  command; 
and  Colonel  Holt  fell  in  the  final  and  victorious  assault  at  the  Fall  of  Petersburg. 

:'  The  loss  of  officers  in  Neill's  Brigade  was  without  a  parallel  in  the  war,  the 
five  regiments  losing  72  officers,  killed  in  action.'' 


J.  K.  LVO.>    1'KINT. 


52o    NEW    YORK   INFANTRY. 
In  the  Grove  west  of  the  Wheatfleld. 


F.    J.    SEVERENCE,    PHOTO. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  393 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 

52ND  N.  Y.  INFANTRY 

3RD  BRIG.  IST  DIV.  SND  CORPS. 

JULY  2ND  1863,  f>  TO  7  P.  M. 

(Reverse.) 

CASUALTIES 

KILLED  2,  WOUNDED  26, 

MISSING  10; 
TOTAL  Loss  38. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG, 


DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT. 
52 D  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

July  3,  1893. 
HISTORICAL  SKETCH  BY  SURG.  CHARLES  H.  ALTI-IANS. 

The  regiment  was  organized  in  the  early  summer  of  1861,  shortly  after  the 
return  of  the  three-months'  troops  under  the  first  call  of  President  Lincoln  for 
300,000  men.  It  was  essentially  a  German  organization,  being  formed  by  the 
consolidation  of  two  skeleton  regiments,  viz.:  the  German  Rangers  and  Sigel 
Rifles,  both  of  which  were  recruited  in  New  York  City. 

It  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  on  October  25,  1861,  with 
Col.  Paul  Frank  commanding,  and  1,000  men,  rank  and  file.  The  regiment 
started  for  the  seat  of  war  on  November  2d,  and  went  into  camp  at  Bladensburg, 
Md.,  near  Washington,  D.  C.  After  one  month's  drill,  it  marched  into  Vir 
ginia  and  encamped  at  Fairfax  Seminary,  near  Alexandria,  Va.,  where  it  was 
assigned  to  the  Third  Brigade  (General  French),  First  Division  (General  Rich 
ardson),  Second  Corps  (General  Sumner).  During  winter  quarters  it  under 
went  continuous  drill  until  March  10,  1862.  On  March  nth,  the  division  broke 
camp,  and  advanced  to  the  line  of  the  Rappahannock,  by  way  of  Manassas, 
after  which  it  countermarched  to  Alexandria,  Va.,  where  it  embarked  on  trans 
ports  and  sailed  to  Shipping  Point,  near  Yorktown. 

At  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  and  at  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  the  regiment 
was  held  in  reserve.  But  in  the  advance  on  Richmond,  at  the  battle  of  Fair 
Oaks,  the  regiment  lost  125  men  killed  and  wounded.  During  the  Peninsular 
campaign,  the  Fifty-second  had  a  large  sick  list,  and  lost  a  number  of  men  of 
typho-malaria  or  swamp  fever.  During  the  Seven  Days'  Battles,  at  Fraser's 
Farm,  White  Oak  Swamp,  and  Malvern  Hill,  the  regiment  lost  34  men  killed 
and  wounded.  After  encamping  awhile  at  Harrison's  Landing,  it  left  for  Wash 
ington  on  transports,  and  marched  to  join  Pope's  army,  on  the  campaign  at 
Second  Bull  Run.  The  Fifty-second  participated  in  the  battles  of  South  Moun 
tain  and  Antietam,  losing  29  killed  and  wounded  in  the  latter  engagement. 
Returning  to  Virginia,  it  was  engaged  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  where 
it  lost  43  men,  including  the  major  and  adjutant. 

At  Chancellorsville  the  regiment  suffered  severely  for  the  number  engaged, 
entering  the  battle  with  less  than  200  men,  of  whom  about  40  were  killed  and 
wounded. 

The  corps  broke  camp  about  the  middle  of  June,  and  entered  upon  the  Get 
tysburg  campaign.  Our  regiment  lost  about  20  men,  disabled  from  marching 
and  fatigue  before  reaching  the  battlefield.  On  the  evening  of  the  second 
day,  the  Fifty-second  was  engaged  from  5  to  8  o'clock.  It  fought  on  the  left 
of  the  Third  Brigade  (Zook's)  of  the  First  Division,  and  lost  a  great  many  men 
in  the  woods  between  the  Wheatfield  and  the  Peach  Orchard.  Being  forced 
back,  it  left  many  wounded  in  the  Wheatfield.  The  regiment  lost  its  lieutenant 
colonel,  major,  a  greater  part  of  its  line  officers,  the  color  bearer,  and  about 
30  enlisted  men.  I  think  almost  one-half  of  its  whole  number  were  killed  or 
wounded,  as  the  regiment  went  into  the  fight  with  less  than  100  men.  Major 
Venuti  was  among  the  killed.  On  the  third  day  no  loss  was  sustained. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  395 

About  the  end  of  August  we  marched  to  Mitchell's  Station,  near  the  Rapidan 
River,  and  went  into  camp.  There  we  received  800  recruits  with  muskets, 
drafted  men  and  substitutes,  which  made  the  ranks  of  the  Fifty-second  look  like 
a  new  regiment. 

On  October  2d,  we  broke  camp,  and  after  marching  and  countermarching 
to  Culpeper  and  Brandy  Station,  had  a  skirmish  at  Auburn  (Coffee  Hill)  with 
a  part  of  Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Stuart's  Cavalry,  which  had  encamped  during  the  night 
in  the  midst  of  our  division.  After  the  fight  at  Bristoe  Station,  we  marched 
back  to  Centreville.  On  this  retreat  the  regiment  lost  nearly  150  of  its  new 
men,  mostly  taken  prisoners.  Marching  back  to  the  Rappahannock  in  Novem 
ber,  the  Fifty-second  was  engaged  at  Mine  Run,  where  it  lost  several  men. 
Recrossing  the  river,  it  went  into  camp  at  Stevensburg,  Va.,  where  it  estab 
lished  winter  quarters.  The  winter  was  passed  in  drills  and  reconnoissances. 

On  May  3,  1864,  the  regiment  crossed  the  Rapidan,  on  the  Wilderness  cam 
paign.  In  the  fighting  about  Spotsylvania  Court  House,  from  May  Qth  until 
May  i8th,  it  lost  164  men,  killed  and  wounded.  Among  the  killed  were  six  line 
officers. 

March  resumed  to  North  Anna,  South  Anna,  and  Totopotomoy  Rivers;  lost 
10  men.  Battle  of  Cold  Harbor;  loss  of  many  men.  Crossed  the  James  River; 
marched  to  Petersburg;  battle  of  June  i6th,  i8th,  and  22d;  lost  a  number  of 
men.  Flank  march  to  Deep  Bottom,  in  July  and  August;  two  battles,  in 
which  some  casualties  occurred.  Battle  of  Reams'  Station,  where  we  lost  15 
men.  Siege  of  Petersburg;  fall  and  winter  campaign  and  temporary  camp  on 
the  extreme  left  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Part  of  the  regiment  was  dis 
charged  on  expiration  of  term  of  enlistment,  and  part  of  the  Seventh  New 
York  Volunteers,  and  Thirty-ninth  New  York  Volunteers  were  incorporated 
with  the  Fifty-second. 

March  27,  1865,  broke  camp  and  the  last  campaign  began;  battle  at  the 
White  Oak  Road,  and  battle  at  the  South  Side  Road,  with  a  loss  of  about  25 
men.  Pursuit  of  Lee's  army.  Battle  of  Farmville,  Va.,  where  we  lost  2  men, 
the  last  battle  in  which  the  Fifty-second  participated.  Surrender  of  Lee's 
army. 

Returning  to  Washington,  the  regiment  encamped  near  Arlington  Heights, 
Va.,  and  marched  in  the  Grand  Review  through  Washington  on  May  25,  1865. 
It  remained  in  camp  until  July  3d,  when  it  broke  camp  for  Home,  Sweet  Home. 
It  was  mustered  out  of  service  July  12,  1865. 

The  Fifty-second  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers  served  three  years,  nine 
months  and  fifteen  days.  Of  1,800  enlisted  men  and  officers,  whose  names  are 
on  its  roll  of  honor,  it  lost  over  1,000  men  by  bullets  or  disease.  A  great  num 
ber  were  discharged  from  general  hospitals  and  returned,  in  all  about  250 
men,  of  whom  only  10  men  were  of  the  original  regiment  that  left  New  York 
in  November,  1861. 

The  regiment  captured  two  flags,  but  never  lost  one.  The  Fifty-second  is 
one  of  the  300  fighting  regiments  mentioned  for  great  bravery  and  gallantry 
in  the  book  known  as  "  Regimental  Losses  in  the  War."  It  was  a  purely 
German  organization,  and  maintained  its  position  on  the  right  of  the  Third 
Brigade,  First  Division,  Second  Corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  from  first 
to  last. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 

54TH  REGT.  N.  Y.  INFY. 

(HIRAM  BARNEY  RIFLES.) 

IST  BRIG.  IST  DIV. 

HTH  CORPS. 

(Reverse.) 
54TH  REGT.  N.  Y.  INFANTRY. 

JULY  i, 

SKIRMISHING  ON   EXTREME  RIGHT 
NEAR  ROCK  CREEK. 


JULY  3, 
HELD  SAME  POSITION. 

CASUALTIES. 

KILLED  7,  WOUNDED  47,  MISSING  48; 
TOTAL  Loss,  102. 

CROSS  KEYS,  CEDAR  MOUNTAIN, 

RAPPAHANNOCK  STATION, 

WATERLOO  BRIDGE,  FREEMAN'S  FORD, 

SULPHUR  SPRINGS,  GROVETON,  MANASSAS, 

CHANTILLY,  CHANCELLORSVILLE, 

GETTYSBURG. 

1862-3. 
FRONT  OF  CHARLESTON,  S.  C,  1864-5 

ORGANIZED,  1861. 
RE-ENLISTED,  1864.     MUSTERED  OUT,  1866. 


J.  B.  L.VON  TTuNT. 


F.   J.   bEVEUKNCK,   PHOTO. 


54TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY 
At  the  base  of  the  slope  on  East  Cemetery  Hill. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  397 


DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT. 
54TH   REGIMENT  INFANTRY  — "  SCHWARZER  JAEGER." 

July  4,  1890. 

ADDRESS  OF  CAPT.  FRANCIS  J.  WERNECK. 

MR.  SECRETARY  OF  THE  GETTYSBURG  BATTLEFIELD  ASSOCIATION,  COMRADES, 
AND  FRIENDS: 

To-day  we  stand  upon  the  sacred  spot  where  27  years  ago  our  regiment 
engaged  and  repelled  the  onslaught  of  the  enemy  who  strove  to  capture  the 
batteries  on  the  summit  of  this  hill,  and  with  them  the  key  to  the  positions  held 
by  our  army.  I  am  proud  to  say  that  you,  the  survivors  of  that  terrible  strug 
gle,  as  well  as  those  who  were  slain  and  whose  bones  are  now  mouldering  in 
the  Cemetery  on  the  hilltop  above  us,  did  your  duty  manfully  and  well;  and 
that  you  are  worthy  of  the  grand  monument  which  a  grateful  State  has,  with 
generous  recognition  of  your  services,  erected  on  the  very  point  where  the 
regiment  lost  its  third  color  bearer,  the  lamented  Sergt.  Henry  Michel. 

Standing  on  this  ground  consecrated  by  the  blood  of  brave  men,  and  giving 
due  meed  of  praise  to  the  coolness  and  efficiency  of  generals  like  Hancock, 
Warren,  Slocum,  Sickles,  Howard  and  others,  yet  must  we  give  full  justice 
to  the  private  soldier,  who,  with  no  thought  but  love  for  Liberty  and  Union, 
offered  his  life  cheerfully  and  unselfishly.  By  them  was  the  battle  fought  and 
won  that  broke  the  backbone  of  the  rebellion,  and  forced  the  defeated  and 
routed  Rebel  army  from  our  Northern  States  forever. 

Mr.  Secretary,  in  the  name  of  the  Veteran  Association  of  the  Fifty-fourth 
Regiment  New  York  Volunteers,  known  in  those  troublous  times  as  the  "  Black 
Rifles,"  I  express  our  thanks  for  this  generous  gift  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
and  turn  over  this  monument  to  your  keeping,  that  it  may  be  preserved  for  all 
time  to  come  as  a  reminder  and  promise  to  all  future  generations  that  the  for 
eign-born  citizens  who  have  adopted  this  land  as  their  new  home  were,  and 
will  always  be,  ready  to  sacrifice  their  heart's  blood  to  preserve  this  glorious 
Republic  whose  free  institutions  brought  us  here,  and  for  whose  preservation 
and  glorification  we  shall  stand  guard  in  the  future  as  in  the  past. 

Friends,  who  have  come  in  such  numbers  to  honor  our  commemoration  of 
this  anniversary:  I  thank  you  in  the  name  of  my  comrades  and  myself;  and 
to  you,  singers  of  the  Theodor  Koerner  Liedertafel,  who  have  added  to  the 
dignity  and  solemnity  of  the  occasion  by  your  beautiful  and  appropriate  songs, 
you  have  the  hearty  gratitude  of  your  parent  regiment. 

Mr.  Secretary: — This  monument  is  now  in  the  charge  of  your  Association, 
and  may  Gettysburg  be  a  warning  to  all  future  generations  against  any  other 
attempt  to  dissolve  or  tear  asunder  this  grand  galaxy  of  free  States,  and  may 
the  Republic  of  the  United  States  of  North  America  live  forever. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


ADDRESS  OF  CAPT.  ED.  WERTHEIMER. 

MR.  PRESIDENT,  COMRADES  AND  FRIENDS: 

Many  of  those  who,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  fought  shoulder  to  shoulder 
in  fierce  battle  for  the  preservation  of  our  glorious  Republic,  rest  to-day  under 
the  cool,  green  sod.  They  are  sleeping  the  eternal  sleep  that  knows  no  more 
contention  and  no  more  discord.  But,  to  us,  the  survivors,  it  seems  as  if  those 
days  appear  anew  before  us.  We  again  live  in  that  period  of  heroic  devotion 
and  willing  sacrifice  for  our  country,  and  we  feel  again  that  impulse  which  in 
that  time  of  youthful  fire  and  ardent  love  of  liberty  caused  us  to  obey  the  call 
of  our  beloved  leader,  Abraham  Lincoln,  to  fight  for  the  Republic,  and  to 
be  victorious,  or  seal  our  devotion  with  our  heart's  blood. 

To-day,  after  twenty-five  years,  we  go  again  mentally  through  that  great 
epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Union.  We  feel  again  the  thrill  of  fierce  resent 
ment  at  the  news  that  rebel  hands  had  dared  to  attack  the  flag  of  the  Nation. 
We  again  hear  the  appeal  of  Lincoln,  who  called  into  the  field  the  sons  of  the 
land  to  defend  the  Union.  We  are  again  full  of  that  enthusiasm  which  car 
ried  everything  before  it,  the  workman  from  the  factory,  the  farmer  from  his 
plough,  the  scientist  from  his  study,  and  the  merchant  from  his  desk,  to  the 
field  of  honor  where,  under  the  thunder  of  the  cannon,  the  fate  of  our  Nation 
should  be  decided.  Those  were  memorable  and  glorious  days,  at  the  remem 
brance  of  which  our  hearts  beat  higher  and  the  blood  rushes  with  youthful 
fire  through  the  veins  of  the  defenders  of  the  Union. 

To-day,  twenty-five  years  ago,  many  a  one  of  our  comrades  lost  his  young 
life  and  breathed  his  last  on  this  blood-stained  battlefield.  Absent  from  us  in 
earthly  form,  their  spirits  are  present  with  us  on  this  memorable  occasion,  and 
we  honor  and  revere  their  memory.  Long  was  it  doubtful  what  fate  had  in 
store  for  us.  The  enemy  was  well  organized,  courageous,  furious,  even  fool 
hardy.  Heroically  was  the  battle  fought  on  both  sides,  and  with  such  changing 
results  that  it  sometimes  seemed  as  if  the  enemies  of  the  Union  would  finally 
be  victorious.  But,  when  the  two  immense  armies,  full  of  fiery  ardor,  met  on 
the  field  of  Gettysburg,  and  after  three  days  of  sanguinary  conflict  saw  the 
sun  of  the  3d  of  July  go  down  on  that  blood-red,  carnage-covered  field,  they 
saw  his  last  rays  gilding  the  victory-crowned  colors  of  the  Union,  and  shining 
on  the  defeated  and  dissolving  ranks  of  the  retreating  rebels. 

Many  thousands  had  colored  the  field  red  with  their  heart's  blood  ;  but,  it  was 
not  in  vain  that  they  sank  under  death's  scythe.  On  the  glorious  field  of  Get 
tysburg  the  power  of  the  enemy  was  broken.  From  that  day  dates  the  turning 
point  of  the  terrible  Civil  War.  Gettysburg  was,  for  the  rebels,  the  beginning 
of  the  end.  All  of  our  comrades  who  fell  here,  have  erected  for  themselves 
a  monument  in  the  hearts  of  the  whole  people  higher  than  human  hands  can 
raise.  Their  memory  will  continue  to  live,  and  exist-  in  honor  as  long  as  we 
Americans  salute  the  banner  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  and  as  long  as  the  heart 
of  an  American  beats  for  his  country. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  30,9 

ADDRESS  OF  CHARLES  G.  WAIILE,  JR. 

COMRADES  OF  MY  FATHER: 

Memory  is  man's  greatest  blessing.  It  is  a  beautiful  instance  of  the  fore 
thought  of  a  beneficent  Providence  that  He  has  enabled  man  to  tear  himself 
from  the  present  and  live  over  again  the  past;  that  man  is  able  to  put  aside 
contemporary  surroundings,  and,  glancing  into  the  mirror  of  the  mind,  see  once 
more  the  happiest  events  of  his  existence;  that  walking  through  the  garden 
of  life  he  may  bear  with  him  on  his  journey  the  odor  of  its  sweetest,  though 
faded,  flowers.  Cheer  and  comfort  it  must  bring  to  him  who  travels  in  the 
direction  of  the  setting  sun  of  life,  when  stopping  on  the  road  and  looking 
back  he  reckons  by  the  brilliance  of  its  brightest  posts  the  length  of  his  jour 
ney.  Such  is  your  function  here  to-day. 

You  are  here  to  pay  your  tribute  to  memory;  to  go  over  the  battle  ground 
where  you  fought  and  where  your  comrades  lie  in  sleep;  to  visit  the  spot  which, 
twenty-five  years  ago,  was  the  turning  point  of  the  greatest  civil  struggle 
recorded  in  history.  History  relates  no  story  so  majestic,  so  wonderful  and  so 
mysterious  as  that  of  the  late  Civil  War.  Unique  in  its  origin,  romantic  in 
its  details,  appalling  in  the  loss  of  life  that  it  entailed,  enormous  in  expense,  the 
Civil  War  stands  alone  in  history.  It  was  the  inevitable  outbreak  of  a  disease 
implanted  in  the  organism  of  this  country  at  its  very  birth. 

In  Jamestown,  Virginia,  the  first-settled  city  in  the  United  States,  were  sold 
the  first  negro  slaves  that  ever  saw  this  country.  There  was  planted  the  seed 
which  was  to  bear  such  deadly  fruit.  It  seems  as  if  the  Almighty  had  decreed, 
that  side  by  side  with  the  progress  of  this  country,  aye,  from  its  first  steps,  there 
should  walk  that  grim  spectre,  slavery.  It  seemed  as  if  God  had  ordained 
that  as  our  country  flourished  there  should  prosper  at  its  side  the  monster,  in 
battle  with  whom  the  strength  of  our  institutions  was  to  be  tested. 

Mysterious  and  wonderful  are  the  ways  of  God.  From  the  State  in  which 
slavery  was  first  introduced,  from  Virginia's  beauteous  hills  where  was  born 
and  fostered  that  awful  institution,  came  Washington,  the  father  of  his  country, 
Jefferson,  who  wrote  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  Madison,  an 
expounder  of  the  Constitution.  From  Virginia  came  Robert  E.  Lee,  the  leader 
of  the  armies  of  the  Confederacy.  Virginia  was  the  battle  ground  of  the  war, 
and  natives  of  Virginia  were  the  parents  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  signer 
of  the  Emancipation  Proclamation,  born  outside  of  the  tainted  region  of  slavery, 
was  the  son  of  parents  who  were  born  and  lived  for  many  years  in  Virginia. 
Just  as  a  plant  with  a  worm  at  its  roots  will,  because  of  the  struggle  with 
this  viper,  grow  quicker  and  bloom  in  richer  colors  than  a  healthy  plant,  r.o 
Virginia,  the  cradle  of  slavery,  sent  forth  the  great  leaders  of  the  Revolution, 
sent  forth  the  leader  of  the  Southern  forces  in  the  Civil  War,  and  was  for  a  long 
time  the  home  of  the  parents  of  the  martyr  President.  It  was  ordained  that 
the  freer  of  the  bondmen  should  first  see  the  light  of  day  in  a  State  not  cursed 
with  slavery. 

Civil  war  —  than  which  no  two  words  in  the  English  language  express  any 
thing  more  horrible,  more  blood  curdling  —  civil  war  overtook  this  land.  We 
were  a  young  people.  Three  score  years  and  ten  did  not  measure  the  tern 
of  our  existence,  when  civil  strife  stopped  us  in  our  remarkable  progress  and 


YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

stayed  us  in  our  onward  march.  Fatner  and  son  in  mortal  combat,  brother 
burying  his  sword  in  brother's  heart,  comrades  of  a  lifetime,  foes  to  death, 
mothers  cursing  the  day  they  gave  birth  to  rebel  sons,  sisters  betraying  brothers, 
homes  destroyed,  poverty  in  the  land,  universal  distress, —  that  is  civil  war. 
War  is  terrible,  war  is  cruel;  but  worse,  far  worse  is  civil  war.  And  it  was 
this  which  was  upon  us.  For  years  the  fire  had  smouldered.  Treason  and 
bigotry  fanned  it  into  an  all-consuming  flame.  "  Secession  "  was  the  watch 
word  of  the  Confederacy;  "  Union,"  the  shibboleth  of  our  armies.  The  Stars 
and  Stripes  were  fired  at;  our  National  capital  endangered.  The  President 
called  for  volunteers  to  defend  the  Union,  and  you  left  your  homes,  you  left 
your  all,  in  response.  You  left,  and  you  knew  not  was  it  for  years  or  was  it 
forever;  but  one  thing  you  knew  and  one  thing  you  vowed,  that  this  Union  was 
to  be  preserved,  aye,  if  your  life  was  to  be  the  cost. 

And  so  the  struggle  was  commenced.  Was  it  to  be  a  short  struggle,  and 
where  was  it  to  end?  Anxiety  was  on  every  face.  None  knew  what  any  day 
might  bring  forth.  And  in  suspense  the  weeks  came,  and  months  went  by, 
and  then  a  year  had  passed  and  still  another,  and  the  struggle  was  not  yet 
over.  Men  looked  at  each  other  in  dismay  as  defeat  was  heralded  through 
the  North.  Two  years  had  passed.  Our  troops  were  no  nearer  Richmond 
than  when  the  war  commenced.  More  men  were  needed,  more  money  was 
necessary;  the  industry  of  the  country  was  paralyzed;  all  was  at  a  standstill. 
For  two  years  the  strife  had  gone  on.  When  would  it,  when  could  it  end? 
Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville  had  sent  a  chill  to  the  heart  of  every  loyal 
citizen.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  pride  of  the  Union  forces,  organized 
and  drilled  by  the  genius  of  McClellan,  was  demoralized.  Defeat  after  defeat 
had  sapped  this  splendid  force  of  all  spirit;  a  heavy  gloom  enshrouded  the  cause 
of  the  North.  Lee  saw  this  and  boldly  conceived  and  attempted  to  carry  out 
his  design  to  march  his  forces  into  our  midst.  Lee's  skirmishers  in  the  advance 
were  the  harbingers  of  his  coming;  gradually  they  came  north,  and  none  saw 
the  danger  but  Governor  Curtin  of  Pennsylvania.  He  sounded  the  alarm,  and 
on  July  I,  1863,  two  armies  lay  in  sight  of  each  other.  On  the  one  hand 
rested  the  battle-scarred  veterans  of  Lee  worshipping  their  commander,  under 
standing  his  every  thought.  On  the  other,  the  Union  forces,  composed  in  part 
of  the  depressed  and  disheartened  remnant  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  of 
the  hastily  gathered  militia  of  neighboring  States,  and  over  them  was  a  new 
commander.  Such  were  the  forces  that  opposed  each  other  at  Gettysburg. 
The  heart  of  the  Nation  stood  still  with  fear.  All  eyes  were  turned  here.  What 
would  be  the  outcome  of  the  battle? 

Silence,  that  most  eloquent  of  noises,  preceded  the  awful  combat;  and  when 
the  cannon's  thunder,  belching  forth,  broke  the  spell,  "  with  shouts  the  shock 
ing  armies  closed  up,"  200,000  men  fought  in  mortal  combat,  and  Gettys 
burg,  erstwhile  so  peaceful  and  so  quiet,  became  a  scene  of  carnage  and 
of  slaughter.  For  days  the  fight  went  on,  and  when  at  last  the  foe  retreated, 
50,000  had  been  killed  and  wounded,  and  Gettysburg, 

"  Whose   remembrance   yet 

Lives  in  men's  eyes,   and  will  to  ears  and  tongues 
Ee  themes  and  hearing  ever," 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  401 

had  passed  into  history,  and  with  it  the  names  of  Sickles,  Webb,  Meade,  and  that 
of  the  loyal,  true,  brave  and  superb  Hancock. 

"  'Twas  much  he  dared, 
And  to  that  dauntless  temper  of  his  mind 
He  had  a  wisdom  that  did  guide  his  valor 
To  act  in  safety." 

Gettysburg  decided  the  Civil  War.  At  Gettysburg  the  God  of  Hosts  did 
"  Poise  the  cause  in  Justice  equal  scale,"  and  found  ours  right.  Had  Lee 
penetrated  further  north  the  Confederacy  would  have  triumphed.  On  the  day 
that  Lee  withdrew  his  forces  from  Gettysburg  it  became  a  mere  question  of  time 
when  treason  was  to  hoist  the  white  flag,  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  again  be 
come  the  emblem  of  victory  and  union. 

Veterans  of  that  struggle,  a  sacred  duty  is  yours  to-day.  Twenty-five  years 
have  elapsed  since  these  regions  re-echoed  the  roar  of  contending  cannon. 
A  quarter  of  a  century  has  passed,  and  you  are  gathered  to-day  to  mark  the 
spot  on  which  you  fought,  where  your  comrades  died,  sacrificing  their  lives  on 
the  altar  of  our  country's  safety.  Here  you  stood  and  here  you  fought,  and 
here,  as  the  fatal  bullet  made  a  space  in  your  lines,  you  closed  up  ranks,  gave 
your  fallen  comrade  a  hurried,  farewell  glance,  and  then  you  went  on  in  the 
awful  fray,  while  your  comrade  "  slept  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking,  dreamt 
of  battlefields  no  more,  days  of  danger,  nights  of  waking." 

Soldiers,  what  a  death  your  comrade's  was!  Side  by  side  with  you  he  fought; 
at  your  side  he  was  struck  down.  No  pomp,  no  parade  marked  his  burial  — 
nothing  but  the  awe-inspiring  solemnity  of  a  soldier's  death.  The  fearful 
symphony  composed  of  trumpet's  clang,  the  cannon's  tones  of  thunder,  rolling 
drums,  the  whistling  of  flying  bullets,  the  shriek  of  bursting  shells  and  the 
roar  of  musketry  was  his  dirge;  the  smoke  of  battle  was  his  shroud,  the  moaning 
of  the  wounded  was  his  requiem,  the  dew  of  twilight  the  tears  on  his  behalf 
the  twinkling  stars  in  heaven  the  silent  watchers  o'er  his  body. 

We  stand  on  hallowed  earth  —  ground  consecrated  by  heroes'  blood ;  and 
you  have  laid  the  corner  stone  of  the  monument  which  when  erected  upon  it 
will  show  to  those  who  may  hereafter  visit  it  the  spot  where  your  regiment 
fought  and  did  its  duty  to  its  country  in  time  of  need. 

In  this  time  of  peace  it  is  proper  that  we  should  thus  seek  to  keep  alive  a 
sense  of  patriotism.  The  quarter  of  a  century  just  completed  has  seen  a  new 
country  arise  from  the  ashes  of  the  old.  Our  land  has  prospered.  The  differ 
ent  sections  of  our  country  are  united  —  united  the  firmer  after  the  attempt 
to  dismember  it,  united  by  interests  of  trade  and  commerce. 

In  this  time  let  us  look  at  those  who  then  stood  arrayed  against  you.  They 
fought  hard  —  none  know  that  better  than  you;  they  died  bravely,  for  they  were 
desperate.  To  them  the  issue  of  the  war  meant  everything.  They  had  started 
the  fight.  Treason's  bullets  opened  the  war,  and  they  were  justly  punished. 
Their  homes  destroyed,  their  plantations  empty,  their  fields  barren,  the  flower  of 
their  manhood  dead  or  crippled,  poverty  on  every  side, —  that  was  the  ?wful 
spectacle  which  greeted  Lee's  veterans  when  at  Appomattox,  Grant  bade  them 

26 


402  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

turn  their  steps  homeward;  that  was  the  awful  punishment  meted  out  to  those 
who  defended  human  slavery,  and  fought  to  destroy  the  Union. 

Out  of  this  chaos,  out  of  these  ruins  has  sprung  the  New  South,  prosperous, 
loyal,  bearing  with  us  the  burden  of  our  struggle,  helping  pay  the  pensions  due 
to  Union  veterans;  in  addition  to  this,  carrying  the  burden  of  their  own  great 
error,  and  extending  to  us  the  right  hand  of  peace  and  fraternity.  You,  who 
fought  the  battles  for  the  Union,  shall  we  reject  the  offer?  From  Georgia  there 
comes  a  voice  which  asks  us  to  grasp  the  hand  of  the  South  in  brotherly  love, 
to  love  one  country,  one  flag,  one  Union.  Here  from  this  field  of  Gettysburg 
let  the  answer  come.  The  proffered  hand  we  take.  The  blue  and  the  gray 
are  brothers  once  again,  fellow  citizens  of  one  country,  ready  to  fight  for  one 
"flag. 

To  those  who  would  reject  the  proffered  hand  I  say, 

"  Deep  malice  makes  too  deep  incision. 
Forget,  forgive,  conclude  and  be  agreed." 

The  South  has  had  its  lesson.  It  is  the  part  of  a  coward  to  strike  a  man  when 
he  is  down.  Take  the  South  by  the  hand  and  lead  it  when  it  is  needed. 
Don't  try  to  tear  open  the  wound  which  it  has  cost  so  much  to  close.  Let  us 
have  a  Union  without  a  North,  without  a  South,  no  East  and  no  West,  but 
an  indissoluble  fraternity  of  States. 

May  the  monument  stand  as  a  reminder  of  the  loyalty  of  those  who  fell  for 
our  country  from  your  ranks !  Let  it  be  an  emblem  of  peace !  Bring  your 
children  and  your  children's  children  hither;  tell  them  the  story  as  you  know 
it ;  teach  them  to  defend  their  country  in  time  of  war,  and  putting 

"Meekness  in  their  mind, 
Love,  charity,  obedience  and  true  duty," 

teach  them  to  help  their  country  in  time  of  peace  by  forgiving  the  wrongs  you 
are  willing  to  pardon. 

Comrades  of  my  Father:  Life's  course  for  you  is  nearly  run;  you  have  done 
your  duty  in  time  of  war,  and  we  love  and  honor  you  for  it.  Teach  us  to  be 
peaceful  in  time  of  peace,  so  that  when  taps  are  sounded,  and  you  roll  your 
blanket  about  you  for  the  final  long  bivouac,  as  you  behold  our  Nation's  flap- 
proudly  waving,  it  will  be  to  you  an  emblem  of  a  reunited  country,  a  new  North 
and  a  new  South,  bound  in  everlasting  union. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  BY  CAPT.  FRANCIS  J.  WERNECK. 

This  regiment,  consisting  exclusively  of  Germans,  many  of  whom  had  seen 
service  in  their  native  land,  or  had  already  served  three  months  under  President 
Lincoln's  first  call  for  volunteers,  was  recruited  by  Col.  Eugene  E.  Kozlay, 
during  the  summer  of  1861,  in  New  York  City,  as  the  "  Black  Rifles."  They 
were  uniformed  in  black  and  silver  like  the  regiment  after  which  they  were 
named,  "  Lutzow's  Schwarzer  Jaeger,"  and  carried  besides  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  403 

a  black  flag  embroidered  in  silver  with  a  skull  and  crossbones,  which,  however, 
was  not  sanctioned  by  the  authorities;  and,  therefore,  was  afterwards  discarded. 

The  regiment  received  its  numerical  designation  of  Fifty-fourth  New  York 
Volunteers  on  October  15,  1861,  and  was  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service  at  the  old  United  States  Arsenal  in  Hudson  City,  N.  J.,  between  Sep 
tember  5th  and  October  i6th.  On  October  29th,  it  left  for  Washington,  D.  C, 
camping  at  Bladensburg,  north  of  the  city,  as  part  of  the  Provisional  Brigade, 
Casey's  Division,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  until,  on  December  ist,  it  was  ordered 
to  cross  the  Potomac,  and  was  assigned  to  Steimvehr's  Brigade,  Blenker's 
Division,  all  composed  of  Germans,  at  Hunter's  Chapel,  Va. 

The  winter  of  1861-62  was  devoted  to  perfecting  the  men  in  the  regimental, 
brigade,  and  division  drill,  and  in  building  fortifications  and  doing  picket  duty 
on  the  outposts.  In  April,  1862,  it  broke  camp  and,  being  assigned  to  the 
First  Brigade,  same  Division,  Mountain  Department,  left  for  Western  Virginia. 

Crossing  the  Blue  Ridge,  it  reached  the  Shenandoah  River,  swollen  to  the 
overflowing  of  its  banks  by  melting  snows.  It  was  crossed  under  great 
difficulties  on  a  raft  constructed  out  of  an  old  barn.  The  forces  of  the  current 
made  the  passage  very  dangerous.  One  of  the  first  companies  to  cross,  belong 
ing  to  Colonel  Bohlen's  Pennsylvania  regiment,  was  drowned,  every  man, 
from  the  overweighting  of  the  flimsy  structure,  before  the  horrow-stricken  eyes 
of  comrades  unable  to  help. 

The  regiment  went  into  camp  at  Winchester,  Va.,  where  the  division  was 
inspected  by  General  Rosecrans  and  reuniformed.  The  Confederate  troops, 
under  General  Jackson,  were  followed  through  West  Virginia  and  along  the 
Shenandoah;  they  were  caught  up  with,  and  the  Battle  of  Cross  Keys  was 
fought  June  8,  1862.  The  casualties  in  the  regiment  were  2  killed  and  4 
wounded. 

Returning  to  Mount  Jackson,  the  regiment  was  assigned  on  June  26th  to  the 
Second  Brigade,  Third  Division,  First  Corps,  Army  of  Virginia,  under 
Gen.  Franz  Sigel,  afterwards  taking  part  in  the  engagement  of  Fox's  Ford, 
Sulphur  Springs,  and  Waterloo  Bridge,  and  finally  at  Second  Bull  Run  on 
August  29th,  3oth,  and  3ist.  On  the  morning  of  the  29th  of  August,  the  regi 
ment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Ashby  commanding,  attacked  the  enemy,  who  were 
intrenched  behind  an  unfinished  railroad  embankment  at  Groveton,  the  brigade 
being  commanded  by  Gen.  Carl  Schurz.  The  regiment  fought  bravely  against 
superior  forces  until  the  division  was  relieved  by  General  Birney,  of  Gen.  Phil. 
Kearny's  Division,  Third  Army  Corps.  The  first  color  bearer  of  the  regiment 
was  left,  severely  wounded,  on  the  field.  On  August  3oth,  at  Bull  Run,  it  was 
engaged  repeatedly  until  the  army  retreated  towards  Centreville.  The  casual 
ties  during  the  three  days'  fighting  were  as  follows: 

Killed.      Wounded.        Missing. 

Officers 2  8 

Enlisted  men 16  CM  ^ 


18  102  41 

Making  a  total  of  161. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

On  September  12,  1862,  the  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  First  Brigade,  First 
Division,  Eleventh  Corps,  Gen.  O.  O.  Howard  commanding.  It  took  part  in 
the  Battle  of  Chancellorsville,  May  I  and  3,  1863,  holding,  under  General 
Von  Gilsa,  the  extreme  right  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  The  conflict  was  a  fierce 
one,  and  several  times  its  flag  was  almost  captured,  three  color  bearers  being 
successively  seriously  wounded.  It  was  owing  to  the  bravery  of  Capt.  Ed. 
Wertheimer  and  Lieut.  Julius  Hohmann  that  "  Old  Glory "  was  ultimately 
saved.  The  regiment  had  seen  from  the  first  that  the  enemy  was  massing  his 
troops  on  the  Federal  right,  evidently  intending  to  outflank  us,  which  fact  was 
repeatedly  brought  to  the  notice  of  headquarters  without  receiving  any  attention 
there.  The  regiment,  however,  held  its  own  until  almost  surrounded  by  the 
enemy,  when,  to  avoid  capture,  it  fell  back,  bravely  fighting.  The  casualties 
were,  i  killed,  24  wounded,  and  17  missing;  a  total  of  42. 

On  July  i,  1863,  the  first  day  of  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg,  the  regiment  again 
held  the  extreme  right  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  under  General  Barlow,  the  right 
resting  on  Rock  Creek  near  the  bridge  on  the  Harrisburg  Road.  The  First 
Day's  Battle  having  been  lost,  the  regiment  retreated  with  the  Eleventh  Corps 
through  the  village  of  Gettysburg,  constantly  fighting,  and,  when  their  ammuni 
tion  was  exhausted,  quite  a  number,  including  four  officers,  were  taken  prisoners 
in  the  village.  The  rest  retreated  and  came  to  a  stand  at  Cemetery  Hill,  where 
they  were  assigned  to  the  duty  of  protecting  the  artillery,  and  were  placed  at  the 
foot  of  the  eastern  slope  near  a  stone  wall  intersecting  the  Gulp's  Hill  Road, 
forming  the  extreme  right  of  the  Eleventh  Corps.  Several  of  the  men  were 
wounded  and  others  killed,  while  going  for  water  to  a  spring  in  front  of  them, 
by  a  rebel  sharpshooter  hidden  in  a  tree,  who  was  finally  brought  down  by  a 
bullet  from  one  of  the  Fifty-fourth. 

Towards  the  evening  of  July  2d  an  attack  was  made  by  the  enemy  along  the 
whole  line  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  with  the  intention  of  capturing  the  batteries 
on  top  of  the  hill.  Among  the  first  killed  was  the  color  bearer,  Sergt.  Henry 
Michel.  Two  successive  color  bearers  were  severely  wounded,  and  the  remnant 
of  the  regiment  was  pushed  up  the  hill,  close  to  the  Cemetery.  ,  Another  regi 
ment  coming  to  the  relief  of  the  exhausted  Fifty-fourth,  it  made  a  stand, 
assumed  the  aggressive  and  took  part  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight,  finally  driving 
back  the  enemy  and  taking  up  again  its  old  position.  There  were  8  enlisted 
men  killed,  2  officers  and  44  enlisted  men  wounded,  and  4  officers  and  44 
enlisted  men  missing;  total,  102. 

This  battle  ends  the  connection  of  the  regiment  with  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  Having  been  assigned  to  the  Department  of  the  South,  it  marched 
through  Virginia  to  Alexandria;  embarked  for  South  Carolina,  and  arrived  at 
Folly  Island  in  front  of  Charleston,  August  9,  1863.  It  was  assigned  to  the 
First  Brigade,  of  Gordon's  Division,  Tenth  Corps.  It  took  part  in  the  siege 
of  Fort  Wagner,  and  also  in  the  night  attack  on  Fort  .Sumter,  September  8th. 
It  passed  the  rest  of  the  time  in  building  fortifications,  patrolling,  and  recon- 
noitering  on  the  surrounding  islands. 

On  November  I7th,  a  singing  society  was  organized  in  the  regiment,  which 
was  named  the  "  Theodor  Koerner  Liedertafel,"  after  Germany's  soldier  poet. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


405 


This  society  still  exists  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  has  accompanied  the 
Fifty-fourth  Veteran  Association  to  Gettysburg  three  times.  It  assisted  at  the 
laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  the  beautiful  regimental  monument  in  1888;  was  at 
the  dedication  of  the  finished  work  in  1890,  and  helped  to  celebrate  the  union  of 
the  "  Blue  and  Gray  "  in  1893. 

The  regiment  took  part  in  various  engagements  under  General  Schimmel- 
fennig  and  Lieut.  Col.  Bankson  T.  Morgan,  at  Seabrook,  John's  Island,  Febru 
ary  9  and  n,  1864;  at  James'  Island,  July  ist  and  6th,  where  3  officers  and  17 
men  were  wounded,  and  the  regiment  was  highly  complimented  in  general 
orders  by  General  Schimmelfennig.  In  an  engagement  on  October  24th,  I 
officer  and  3  enlisted  men  were  wounded.  In  the  engagement  of  February  10, 
1865,  on  James'  Island,  2  officers  and  7  enlisted  men  were  wounded,  and  at 
Santee  River,  on  February  27th,  I  officer  and  6  enlisted  men  were  wounded, 
making  a  loss,  in  the  South  Carolina  campaign,  of  7  officers  and  33  enlisted  men. 

It  should  have  been  stated  that,  in  1864,  on  the  expiration  of  the  term  for 
which  they  had  originally  enlisted,  three  years,  the  men  enthusiastically 
re-enlisted  for  the  war. 

In  March,  1865,  the  Fifty-fourth  entered  Charleston,  S.  C.,  and  on  June  22d, 
its  depleted  ranks  were  strengthened  by  the  consolidation  with  it  of  those  men 
not  mustered  out  from  the  One  hundred  and  twenty-seventh  and  One  hun 
dred  and  fifty-seventh  New  York  Volunteers. 

The  total  casualties  of  the  Fifty-fourth  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers 
during  the  war,  were: 


OFFICERS. 

Killed 

Wounded 

Taken  prisoners. 


ENLISTED  MEN. 

Killed 

Wounded 

Missing 


43 

2IO 
83 


336 


Total,  351. 

After  the  Fall  of  Charleston  the  regiment  was  detailed  in  detachments  for 
duty  in  the  Freedman's  Bureau  throughout  South  Carolina,  with  headquarters 
at  Orangeburg,  until  the  beginning  of  April,  1866,  when  it  was  ordered  to 
Hart's  Island,  New  York  Harbor,  and  there  mustered  out  of  the  service  of  the 
United  States,  April  14,  1866. 

A  goodly  number  of  the  regiment  are  still  living  scattered  throughout  the 
United  States  and  also  Germany.  There  is  a  flourishing  veteran  organization, 
consisting  of  54  members,  with  headquarters  in  New  York  City,  who  regularly 
hold  their  annual  reunion  on  the  anniversary  of  their  departure  for  the  seat  of 
war  in  1861,  and  still  taking  a  lively  interest  in  everything  connected  with  that 
great  and  terrible  conflict,  strive  to  imbue  their  own  children  and  the  rising 
generation  with  the  patriotic  enthusiasm  that  impelled  the  freedom-loving 
Germans  to  offer  their  all  to  the  cause  of  their  adopted  country. 


406  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.') 

57TH  NEW  YORK 

INFANTRY, 

3D  BRIGADE, 

IST  DIVISION, 

SD  CORPS. 

(Reverse.) 
ENGAGED  THE  ENEMY  HERE 

JUJY  2,  1863. 

JULY  3,  ON  CEMETERY  RIDGE, 

RESISTING  PICKETT'S  ATTACK. 

TOTAL  NUMBER  ENGAGED,  175. 

KILLED  4  WOUNDED  28 

MISSING  2 

(Left  Side.)  (Right  Sidej 

YORKTOWN,  GETTYSBURG, 

FAIR  OAKS,  MlNE  RUN> 

GAINES'  MILL,  AUBURN  HILL, 

PEACH  ORCHARD,  BRISTOE  STATION, 

SAVAGE  STATION,  WILDERNESS, 

WHITE  OAK  SWAMP,  Tomys  TAVERN 

MALVERN  HILL,  CoLD  HARBOR, 

ANTIETAM,  PETERSBURG, 

FREDERICKSBURG,  DEEP  BOTTOM, 

CHANCELLORSVILLE.  REAMS»  STATION> 


„..,, 
^^^^^Bk       •PWi^^^^^*^^^ 


J.  B.  LVOV   I'HIXT. 


57TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
In  the  Wheatfleld.  looking  north. 


F.   J.    SEVEUEXCE,   PHOTO. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  407 

DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT. 
57TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

October  6,  1889. 

HISTORICAL  NOTES. 

BY  REV.  GILBERT  FREDERICK,   D.  D.* 

The  Fifty-seventh  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry  was  formed  by  the  union  of 
several  organizations  which  had  been  recruited  in  different  parts  of  New  York 
State,  under  special  authority  from  the  War  Department  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
Five  of  these  separately  recruited  bodies  made  up  the  final  composition  of  the 
new  regiment.  Much  the  largest  of  these  was  known  as  "  The  National  Guard 
Rifles  "  or  as  "  Zook's  Voltigeurs."  It  was  recruited  under  the  direction  of 
Samuel  K.  Zook,  who  already  was  a  colonel  of  State  militia,  and  had  served  as 
Military  Governor  of  Annapolis.  It  constituted  Companies  A,  B,  C,  D  and  E, 
and  was,  as  to  number,  nearly  half  the  entire  regiment.  The  second  organiza 
tion  was  called  "  The  Clinton  Rifles."  It  was  recruited  under  J.  A.  Page,  and 
formed  companies  F,  G  and  H.  The  third,  named  "  The  United  States 
Voltigeurs,"  was  enlisted  under  Albert  C.  Ramsey,  and  composed  Companies 
I  and  K.  The  fourth  bore  the  designation  of  "  Manhattan  Rifles  "  and  was 
recruited  by  George  W.  Vanderbilt.  These  men  seem  to  have  been  divided 
between  Companies  A  and  E  of  Colonel  Zook's  detachment,  as  was  also  the  fifth 
organization  called  "  The  Washington  Zouaves,"  gathered  by  James  H.  Remain. 

Concerning  the  parts  of  the  State  in  which  these  men  were  enlisted,  it  may  be 
said,  in  general,  that  Companies  A,  D,  E,  F  and  G,  were  recruited  principally 
in  New  York  City ;  that  Company  B  came  mostly  from  about  Utica ;  Company 
C,  from  Kings  and  Lewis  Counties ;  and  Company  H,  I,  and  K,  from  Dutchess 
County.  As  has  already  been  intimated,  however,  the  places  here  mentioned 
are  but  general  designations.  The  fact  is  that  nearly  every  section  of  New 
York  State  was  represented  by  some  person  in  the  regiment ;  indeed,  other 
States  besides  New  York  were  represented,  and,  in  some  instances,  quite 
largely. 

Upon  first  enlisting,  the  volunteers  were  mustered  in  as  State  troops,  after 
the  medical  examiner  had  reported  favorably  and  the  conditions  as  to  age,  etc., 
had  been  met;  then  came  the  muster  into  the  United  States  service.  The  latter 
progressed  as  the  various  squads  were  ready  for  it,  the  time  ranging  between 
August  12  and  November  12,  1861.  The  numerical  designation  of  the  regi 
ment  was  not  received  until  October  ipth,  at  which  time,  also,  S.  K.  Zook  was 
officially  appointed  as  its  colonel. 

The  first  regimental  colors  were  presented  by  a  committee  headed  by  Chester 
A.  Arthur,  afterwards  President  of  the  United  States,  and  were  a  gift  from  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  of  New  York  City.  The  committee  came  down  to  camp 
and  made  the  formal  presentation  to  Colonel  Zook  in  the  presence  of  the  regi 
ment  with  all  due  form  and  ceremony. 

*  Captain,  s;th  Regt,   N.  Y.  Vols. 


408  HEW  YOTCK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

The  recruiting  of  the  regiment  was  done  directly  by  those  who  were  working 
for  positions  as  officers  in  the  several  companies.  For  example,  the  man  who 
was  to  be  captain  always  promised  and  usually  gave  the  highest  positions  in 
the  company  to  those  who  raised  the  largest  number  of  men;  if  lieutenants, 
sergeants  and  corporals,  they  recruited  men  in  order  to  secure  their  several 
offices.  The  $100  bounty,  promised  to  those  who  would  serve  two  years,  was 
the  only  money  inducement  offered  by  the  Government  or  State.  Some  little 
inducement  may  have  been  individually  given,  as  in  the  important  case  of  a 
man  in  Company  D,  who  received  the  enormous  inducement  of  $2  and  a  pair 
of  canvas  shoes. 

The  rendezvous  of  the  regiment  while  recruiting  was  at  New  Dorp,  Staten 
Island.  Thither  the  squads  wended  their  way,  taking  the  boat  at  the  Battery 
and  crossing  New  York  Bay.  Here,  in  rudely-constructed  barracks,  the  men 
were  housed  and  fed  —  a  frightful  change  from  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of 
home.  This,  however,  mattered  nothing,  as  even  these  sheds  were  known  to 
be,  for  comfort  and  protection,  far  beyond  what  was  soon  to  come  in  the 
open  field  of  warfare.  Then  the  novelty  of  the  situation  was  entertaining, 
for  it  took  more  and  longer  than  this  experience  to  wear  away  the  new-born 
enthusiasm  that  had  been  beating  within  patriotic  breasts.  Soldier's  life  had 
thus  far  been  all  romance,  a  gala  day,  with  flags  flying,  crowds  cheering, 
and  women  smiling.  Save,  perhaps,  the  heartache  in  moments  of  separation, 
all  had  been  bustle  and  cheer.  New  comrades  were  comparing  notes,  show 
ing  pictures  of  mother,  or  wife,  or  sweetheart,  telling  of  home  and  business 
and  friends  left  behind,  talking  of  positions  promised  them  in  their  com 
panies,  lieutenantcies,  sergeantcies,  etc.,  which  turned  out  later  to  be  like  the 
morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew  that  soon  vanish  away. 

We  had  been  in  Camp  LaFayette  two  months  or  more  when  orders  came 
to  pack  knapsacks  and  be  ready  to  move  at  a  moment's  notice.  It  was  on 
Tuesday  afternoon,  November  12,  1861,  that  we  made  our  first  march  as  a 
regiment,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles  from  camp  to  the  landing,  where  we 
embarked  on  the  steamer  Kill-Von-Kull. 

Having  steamed  southerly  around  Staten  Island  to  the  New  Jersey  shore, 
we  disembarked  at  Amboy,  boarded  a  train  of  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Railway, 
and  about  midnight  began  to  move  towards  Philadelphia,  which  place  we 
reached  at  day  dawn. 

The  ladies  of  Philadelphia  were  up  early,  and  had  breakfast  ready  by  the 
time  we  had  crossed  the  river.  Of  course  all  were  hungry  and  ate  voraciously, 
while  the  mirth  and  laughter  were  equal  to  a  first-class  picnic. 

From  the  dining  hall  we  marched  to  the  railroad  depot,  and  by  4  in 
the  afternoon  were  in  Baltimore,  where  supper  was  served.  Before  daylight 
the  next  morning  —  Thursday,  November  14,  1861  — the  train  pulled  into  the 
City  of  Washington.  At  7  o'clock  the  regiment  fell  into  line,  and  marched 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  in  a  northeasterly  direction  from  the  Capitol  on  the 
Bladensburg  Road,  and  went  into  camp  near  the  toll-gate.  This  was  Camp 
Wilder.  The  ground  was  wet  and  in  places  muddy  from  previous  rains,  a  not 
very  inviting  bed  for  the  first  night  out.  To  make  matters  worse  there  were 
but  three  tents  to  a  company,  and  as  darkness  came  on  it  began  to  rain  and 
grow  cold. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  409 

As  soon  as  everything  got  into  running  order  at  Camp  Wilder,  the  discipline 
began  to  be  of  a  true  military  kind.  Hitherto,  things  had  been  rather  free 
and  easy.  Now  army  regulations  began  to  be  read  at  dress  parade,  and  general 
orders  were  issued  regulating  the  conduct  of  troops.  The  hours  of  the  day 
were  divided,  each  having  its  duty,  regular  attendance  to  which  was  strictly 
enforced.  Drills  were  frequent,  and  occupied  from  six  to  eight  hours  each 
day.  Sunrise  roll-calls  began,  general  duty  was  abundant,  and  fatigue  details 
constant.  A  man  could  not  leave  camp  without  a  pass,  and  must  return  at  the 
hour  appointed  thereon.  Offenses  were  punished  with  extra  duty  and  fines. 
The  private  soldier  received  from  the  Government  as  remuneration  for  his 
services,  $11  a  month  in  money,  a  certain  amount  of  rations,  and  clothing  of 
good  quality,  though  not  of  the  finest  broadcloth.  Later  the  pay  was  raised 
to  $13  per  month.  If  he  did  not  use  all  his  allowance  of  clothing,  he  drew 
its  value  in  money.  If  he  overdrew  his  allowance,  it  was  taken  from  his  pay. 
We  had  considerable  bread  and  fresh  meat  while  at  Washington,  and  the 
pork  and  "junk"  was  good  for  their  kind;  but  with  these  we  were  not  yet 
on  very  good  terms. 

On  Thursday,  November  28,  1861,  the  Fifty-seventh  broke  camp  and  started 
for  Virginia.  At  Long  Bridge  they  were  joined  by  the  Fourth  Rhode  Island, 
the  Fifty-second  New  York  and  the  Sixty-sixth  New  York.  These  four 
regiments,  forming  a  provisional  brigade,  crossed  the  Potomac  singing,  "  I 
wish  I  was  in  Dixie,"  and  marched  slowly  westward  five  or  six  miles  on  the 
Columbia  Turnpike  to  Arlington  Mills,  a  station  on  the  Washington  and 
Ohio  Railway.  Here,  near  a  brickyard,  we  bivouacked  at  midnight.  It  had 
rained  all  day,  our  clothes  were  wet  and  muddy,  the  ground  soft  and  uncertain, 
yet  we  had  slept  some  when  at  daylight  the  reveille  sounded.  The  march 
was  now  southward  five  or  six  miles  to  what  was  afterwards  called  Camp 
California. 

Colonel  Zook,  being  the  senior  officer,  commanded  this  provisional  brigade 
in  its  movement  to  the  defences  of  Washington.  On  this  first  considerable 
march  the  soldiers  greatly  overloaded  themselves  with  baggage,  as  raw  troops 
always  do,  but  before  they  reached  Camp  California  this  personal  property 
had  considerably  diminished,  and  the  road  was  strewn  with  articles  for  wear 
and  comfort,  such  as  the  soldier  previously  thought  he  could  not  live  without. 
Had  he  been  asked  then  to  reduce  his  effects  to  the  dimensions  they  after 
wards  voluntarily  assumed  it  would  have  seemed  to  him  impossible,  or  if 
possible,  then  ruinous.  The  strength  of  the  regiment  on  February  6th  was 
712,  and  there  were  21  reported  sick. 

Orders  from  the  War  Department,  dated  March  13,  1862,  classified  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  into  corps.  General  Sumner  was  given  command  of 
the  Second,  and  in  this  corps  his  old  troops  formed  the  First  Division,  which 
was  put  under  command  of  Gen.  Israel  B.  Richardson.  The  Fifty-seventh 
found  itself  in  the  Third  Brigade  of  the  First  Division,  still  under  Gen.  Wm.  H. 
French,  composed  of: 

Fifty-second  New  York,  Colonel  Paul  Frank. 

Fifty-seventh  New  York,  Colonel  Samuel  K.  Zook. 

Sixty-sixth  New  York,  Colonel  Joseph  C.  Pinckney. 

Fifty-third  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  John  R.  Brooke. 


4io  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

On  Monday,  March  10,  1862,  at  2  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  call  was 
sounded  anu  Hie  Army  of  the  Potomac  roused  from  sleep  with  orders  to 
march  at  daylight.  Three  days'  rations  and  60  rounds  of  cartridges  were  is 
sued  to  each  man,  blankets  and  shelter  tent  were  roiled  together  length 
wise,  thrown  over  the  right  shoulder  and  ends  joined  under  the  left  arm. 
The  haversacks  were  rilled  with  the  rations  and  such  articles  for  the  toilet 
as  could  rind  room. 

As  we  started  the  clouds  also  started  —  it  not  only  began  to  rain,  but  it 
continued  to  rain.  The  tramping  of  many  feet  soon  kneaded  the  soil  into 
dough,  and  then  into  slush,  and  the  troops  waded,  sometimes  knee  deep, 
through  mud  and  mire.  All  day  long  with  laborious  steps  the  march  con 
tinued  until,  at  sunset,  near  Fairfax  Court  House,  all  lay  down  upon  the 
soaked  earth,  too  weary  and  wet  for  refreshing  sleep.  At  daylight  a  hurried 
breakfast  was  followed  by  an  inspection  of  arms,  and  the  column  pushed  on 
through  Fairfax  Station  to  Sangster's  Station,  where  the  second  night  was 
spent.  On  the  following  day  Union  Mills  was  reached,  and  the  third  night 
was  spent  on  the  Bull  Run  hills.  It  was  forenoon  of  the  next  day  that  the 
Third  Brigade  pushed  on  to  Manassas,  entering  that  stronghold  of  the  enemy 
with  flags  unfurled  and  bands  playing  Yankee  Doodle  and  The  Star  Spangled 
Banner. 

March  25th,  an  advance  towards  Warrenton  Junction  was  made,  but  the 
main  army,  having  ten  days  before  began  its  return  to  Alexandria,  were  em 
barking  for  the  Peninsula;  so  we  too  were  ordered  back.  After  one  night  at 
Camp  California  the  regiment  marched  to  Alexandria  and,  the  following  morn 
ing,  the  4th  of  April,  embarked  on  the  steamer  Ariel  for  Fortress  Monroe. 
The  day's  ride  down  the  Potomac  was  an  excursion  full  of  pleasure. 

The  enemy  evacuated  Yorktown  on  the  4th  of  May,  and  the  Battle  of  Wil- 
liamsburg  was  fought  on  the  5th.  Richardson's  Division,  which  had  been 
separated  from  the  corps,  marched  to  Yorktown  and  beyond,  but  was  ordered 
back  to  Yorktown,  and  took  the  boat  up  the  river,  landing  at  Eltham,  some 
rive  miles  above  West  Point.  General  McClellan's  report  says  that  Richard 
son's  Division  was  at  Eltham  on  the  I5th  of  May,  and  that  it  had  rained,  it 
was  raining,  and  would  rain. 

At  Fair  Oaks,  Richardson's  Division,  which  had  been  camped  near  the 
Tyler  House,  started  about  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  3ist  for  the 
scene  of  action,  crossing  the  Chickahominy  at  Grapevine  Bridge,  which  was 
now  submerged  and  partly  swept  away.  It  waded  the  stream,  now  about  half 
a  mile  wide  and  in  places  up  to  the  arm  pits  in  depth.  General  Richardson 
dismounted  and  led  the  way,  thus  setting  a  good  example  to  his  men.  About 
dusk  a  halt  was  made  in  the  woods  near  Fair  Oaks  Station  on  the  Richmond 
and  York  River  Railroad,  and  after  dark  position  was  taken  forward  in  the 
clearing. 

The  regiment  held  its  ground  and  finally  got  into  fighting  trim,  so  that 
as  line  after  line  of  the  enemy  advanced  they  were  successfully  resisted  and 
driven  off.  General  French  and  Colonel  Zook  were  omnipresent,  directing 
the  movements  and  encouraging  the  men.  Finally  we  moved  a  little  by  the 
left,  swung  around,  took  the  enemy  on  the  flank,  drove  him  from  his  position 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  411 

and  advanced  without  opposition  until  commanded  to  halt.  This  flank  move 
ment  seemed  to  turn  the  fortunes  of  the  day  in  our  favor,  as  no  other  attempts 
were  made  by  the  enemy  to  renew  the  conflict.  The  regiment  was  now 
moved  about,  first  into  a  position  to  support  the  Irish  Brigade,  then  in 
support  of  a  battery,  and  finally  settled  down  again  near  the  place  where  it  had 
done  its  fighting.  Much  of  the  enemy's  firing  was  wild;  perhaps  ours  was  no 
better.  Part  of  their  ammunition  was  "  buck  and  ball,"  and  a  part  rifle  bullet; 
the  former  did  little  execution.  Our  regiment  lost  3  killed,  4  who  died  of 
wounds,  and  n  wounded  who  recovered.  Alexander  Stewart,  the  color 
sergeant,  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  man  of  our  regiment  killed  in  the  war. 
He  was  shot  through  the  head  at  the  first  volley  from  the  enemy.  Captain 
Fiske,  regimental  adjutant,  but  detached  as  assistant  adjutant-general  to 
General  French,  was  severely  wounded  in  the  knee  while  fearlessly  carrying 
orders  through  the  thickest  of  the  fight. 

Several  officers  and  men  were  conspicuous  in  this  battle  for  their  soldierly 
bearing.  Several  of  them  were  mentioned  in  the  general  reports,  and  some 
in  other  reports.  Sergt.  R.  S.  Alcoke  was  honorably  mentioned  for  good 
conduct,  and  was  promoted  later.  Sergt.  O.  F.  Middleton  was  advanced 
to  first  lieutenant,  the  commission  dating  at  this  battle.  Many  not  mentioned 
in  the  reports  were  brought  to  notice  by  their  coolness  and  daring,  so  as  to 
be  marked  men  thereafter. 

The  third  day  of  the  battle  little  was  attempted  by  either  side,  and  on  the  fourth 
we  began  to  have  the  feeling  that  the  battle  was  over.  Two  regiments  —  the 
Second  Delaware  and  the  Sixty-fourth  New  York  —  were  now  added  to  our 
brigade,  making  a  total  of  six  regiments  instead  of  four  as  previously.  The 
regiment  was  actively  engaged  at  the  battle  of  Gaines's  Mill,  and  in  the  sub 
sequent  fighting  of  the  Seven  Days  Battle. 

At  Malvern  Hill,  on  July  ist,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  for  the  first  time 
occupied  a  good  defensive  position.  Its  line  was  much  shorter,  and  its  flanks 
resting  upon  the  James  River  could  not  be  turned.  Two  brigades  —  the  Irish 
and  Caldwell's  —  were  sent  to  re-enforce  the  centre,  and  they  helped  to  repulse 
two  determined  charges  on  Couch.  Not  until  dark  did  the  fighting  cease, 
and  not  until  midnight  did  quiet  reign.  The  Fifty-seventh  occupied  a  position 
on  the  crest  of  a  hill  much  exposed  to  the  cannonading  during  most  of  the 
day.  The  losses  of  the  regiment  during  the  Seven  Days  Battle  aggregated 
52,  being  8  men  killed,  i  officer  and  8  men  wounded,  and  35  missing. 

On  the  25th  of  August  we  were  aboard  the  steamer  S.  R.  Spaulding  anchored 
in  Hampton  Roads.  At  3  o'clock  the  next  morning,  weighing  anchor,  we 
moved  towards  and  up  the  Potomac  River,  and  on  the  following  morning,  after 
breakfasting,  disembarked  at  Aquia  Creek,  but  on  the  same  afternoon  re- 
embarked,  and  on  the  next  morning,  the  28th,  landed  at  Alexandria  and 
marched  as  far  as  old  Camp  California.  The  afternoon  of  the  29th  found  us 
on  the  Alexandria  road,  at  Arlington  Heights  and  the  Aqueduct  Bridge. 
Resting  over  night  the  regiment  moved  again  towards  Bull  Run,  reaching 
Fairfax  Court  House  the  same  night,  and  Centreville  the  next  day,  but  on 
the  following  fell  back  with  the  rest  of  the  army  upon  Washington.  When 
it  was  finally  understood  that  Lee  had  entered  Maryland,  the  Second  Corps 


412 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


crossed  the  Potomac  by  the  Chain  Bridge  and  moved  to  Tennallytown,  five 
miles  north  of  Washington.  This  was  the  4th  of  September.  From  here  we 
went  on  to  Rockville,  Clarksburg  and  Urbana,  arriving  at  Frederick  City 
September  I3th. 

At  Frederick  our  passage  was  one  ovation;  the  houses  \vere  fairly  covered 
with  flags;  everybody  was  out  waving  handkerchiefs,  dealing  out  cold  water 
and  saluting  the  colors.  We  rested  beyond  Frederick  over  Saturday  night, 
and  on  Sunday  morning  pushed  through  Middletown  towards  South  Mountain. 
All  day  long  we  could  hear  cannonading;  indeed  the  evening  before  it  was 
quite  distinct.  Now  also  were  visible  the  puffs  of  smoke  from  booming 
artillery  along  the  mountain  summits.  Some  of  the  boys  amused  themselves 
be  measuring  the  seconds  that  intervened  between  the  flash  and  the  report 
of  the  cannon,  thus  calculating  the  distance  between  themselves  and  the 
battlefield.  The  Battle  of  South  Mountain  was  a  victory  for  our  forces,  but 
the  Second  Corps  came  up  too  late  to  have  a  part  in  it.  From  South  Mountain 
to  Antietam  was  a  constant  running  fire  between  the  two  armies,  the  one 
falling  back  and  the  other  pursuing.  The  real  Battle  of  Antietam  began  at 
daylight  on  Thursday,  September  i/th.  General  French's  Division  began  its 
attack  near  the  Roulette  House,  driving  the  enemy  back  to  the  Sunken  Road, 
taking  several  colors  and  300  prisoners.  Our  division  crossed  the  Creek  at 
about  9:30  a.  m.,  the  Irish  Brigade  in  the  lead,  and  moved  into  action.  The 
Irishmen  advanced  steadily  and  rapidly,  under  a  heavy  fire,  until  they  had 
nearly  reached  the  crest  of  the  hill  which  overlooks  Piper's.  Caldwell's  Brigade 
formed  on  the  left  of  Meagher's,  and  took  their  place  when  they  fell  back  for 
ammunition,  then  pushed  ahead  and  carried  the  crest  of  the  hill  overlooking 
Piper's  house.  Just  beyond  is  the  famous  Sunken  Road  in  which  is  a  de 
termined  force  of  the  enemy,  and  Caldwell  can  go  no  further;  but  soon  an 
attempt  is  made  to  turn  his  flank,  and  Brooke  puts  in  the  Third  Brigade,  to 
which  our  regiment  belonged. 

We  are  lying  behind  the  hill  that  overlooks  the  field  of  action,  every  mo 
ment  expecting  to  go  in.  The  bullets  are  whistling  over  our  heads,  and  our 
hearts  are  beating  as  fast  as  the  lead  is  flying.  "  Whose  head  will  come  off," 
we  are  asking,  when  we  rise  and  move  forward?  The  worst  part  of  a  battle 
is  this  waiting  to  go  in.  "Fall  in!"  The  word  has  come,  we  jump  up, 
get  in  line  and  march  steadily  in  battalion  front  to  the  brow  of  the  hill. 
Now  we  are  in  it  and  the  minnies  are  plenty.  As  we  pass  the  Sixty-ninth 
New  York,  or  what  is  left  of  them,  about  a  hundred  men  with  colors  in 
tatters,  they  cheer  and  we  return  it.  Down  the  side  of  the  hill  towards  the 
Sunken  Roa^  the  Fifty-seventh  and  the  Sixty-sixth  charge  together  and  over 
the  ditch  they  go,  stepping  over  the  bodies  of  the  Rebel  dead.  Yet  another 
charge  and  we  have  taken  Piper's  house,  and  are  in  the  cornfield  beyond. 

All  along  the  path  of  this  charge  our  men  have  fallen,  killed  and  wounded, 
but  victory  is  ours.  Earlier  in  the  day  several  attacks  have  been  made  upon 
the  Sunken  Road,  but  without  success.  It  afforded  great  protection  for  the 
enemy,  and  to  take  it  was  like  taking  a  fort.  In  charging  forward  we  captured 
several  prisoners  and  a  stand  of  colors  belonging  to  the  Twelfth  Alabama.  It 
was  said  that  the  words,  "  Captured  by  the  Fifty-seventh  New  York,  at  Antie- 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  413 

tarn,  September  lyth,  1862,"  would  be  painted  on  the  flag,  and  it  would  be 
deposited  with  the  War  Department  for  safe-keeping. 

In  this  charge  our  commanding  officer  falls  while  leading  his  regiment,  flag 
in  hand.  Lieut.  Col.  Philip  J.  Parisen  died,  where  a  true  soldier  loves  to 
die.  Maj.  A.  B.  Chapman  now  took  command  of  the  regiment,  and  was 
subsequently  promoted  to  the  vacant  position  with  rank  to  date,  September  17, 
1862. 

General  Richardson,  affectionately  called  "  Fighting  Dick,"  while  directing 
a  battery  on  the  hill  near  us,  was  struck  with  a  piece  of  shell  and  mortally 
wounded.  There  has  always  been  a  halo  around  his  head  since  Antietam, 
for  the  double  reason  that  he,  a  general,  was  killed  in  battle  at  our  side,  and 
also  that  he  was  the  first  general  officer  thus  lost  to  us. 

Our  losses  in  this  battle  were  very  severe.  Besides  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Parisen,  Lieut.  H.  H.  Folger,  Company  I,  was  killed  while  in  the  cornfield. 
He  was  struck  by  a  grape  shot,  and  died  instantly.  Lieut.  H.  H.  Higbee  of 
Company  H  was  killed  while  withdrawing  to  the  hill.  Capts.  J.  W.  Britt,  N. 
G.  Troop,  Lieuts.  G.  W.  Jones  and  J.  H.  Bell  were  among  the  wounded; 
3  officers  and  16  men  were  killed  during  the  battle,  and  9  men  died  of 
wounds  thereafter;  6  officers  and  64  men  were  wounded;  3  men  were 
missing.  The  total  loss  was  101.  This  loss,  nearly  one-third,  is  the  largest 
that  came  to  the  regiment  from  any  previous  or  subsequent  battle  during 
the  war.  Yet  we  may  not  say  that  the  loss  proportionate  to  our  numbers  was 
greater,  since  the  strength  of  the  regiment  decreased  constantly,  and  later 
losses  may  represent  a  larger  proportionate  loss.  J.  E.  Snyder,  of  Company 
C,  took  the  prize  at  Antietam  for  the  number  of  wounds  received,  he  coming 
off  the  field  with  no  less  than  three. 

The  experience  of  a  member  of  Company  D  is  so  realistic,  and  has  so 
many  correspondences  in  the  experiences  of  others  that  we  reproduce  it  here. 
It  was  in  the  heat  of  the  battle  that  a  shell  burst  almost  over  his  head,  and 
he  was  struck  with  a  fragment  of  it  in  the  right  side  of  the  neck  and  shoulder. 
It  was  not  painful,  he  says,  but  produced  rather  a  pleasant  sensation  as  though  he 
was  flying  through  the  air.  This  was  due  to  the  benumbing  feeling  that  comes 
with  such  a  wound.  He  could  not  tell  what  had  happened  to  him,  but  after 
a  while  felt  as  though  there  was  a  hole  through  his  forehead.  Then  came  a  feel 
ing  that  he  was  about  killed  and  must  die.  Several  sinking  spells  followed ;  he 
thought  of  his  mother,  and  prayed  to  the  Lord  to  have  mercy  on  him;  then 
again  he  faints,  and  again  revives  and  feels  for  the  hole  in  his  head.  He 
looks  around  and  asks  a  comrade  where  he  is  hit.  "  Half  of  the  neck  and 
part  of  the  head  is  torn  away  "  is  the  response.  He  begs  to§  be  taken  off 
the  field  so  as  not  to  be  captured  by  the  enemy,  and  is  carried  to  the  little 
schoolhouse  in  the  apple  orchard  and  thence  to  a  barn,  where  he  lay  two 
nights  and  three  days  on  a  wad  of  hay  with  the  blue  sky  for  his  covering. 
The  ladies  of  the  Christian  Commission  did  all  they  could  for  the  living  and 
the  dying,  singing  to  many  of  the  latter  as  their  souls  took  flight  to  the  other 
world.  It  is  one  of  the  strange  things  of  the  war  that  this  comrade,  seemingly 
so  fatally  wounded,  is  yet  living,  though  crippled. 


414  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

J.  H.  Brandt,  also,  gives  an  instance  of  common  occurrence  on  the  battle 
field.  "  I  was  shot  through  the  right  shoulder  but  kept  my  place  until  my 
file-leader,  Corp.  Joel  E.  Reeland,  pitched  forward  on  his  face,  saying,  '  My  God ! 
I  am  killed.'  "  Many  of  the  boys  were  not  spared  long  enough  to  say  even 
that  much. 

A  letter  dated  Bolivar  Heights,  September  25,  1862,  and  written  by  W.  H. 
Hardy,  of  Company  A,  contains  the  following  items  of  interest:  "Company 
A  is  color  company.  Our  former  captain,  A.  B.  Chapman,  has  been  promoted 
to  major.  The  colors  were  borne  by  Sergeant  Frazer  of  Company  C,  Corpo 
rals  Parks  and  Mesler.  We  had  not  been  under  fire  two  minutes  before  two 
of  the  color  bearers  —  Frazer  and  Parks  —  fell.  Henry  C.  Housel,  although 
not  one  of  the  color  guard,  threw  down  his  musket,  seized  the  flag  and  plunged 
into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  calling  the  boys  to  '  Come  on/  under  a  terrific 
fire  which  was  thinning  our  ranks  at  an  awful  rate.  Housel  carried  the  colors 
for  nearly  an  hour,  when  his  turn  came;  a  minnie  ball  struck  him  in  the  throat; 
when  falling  he  said,  '  Boys  protect  these  colors.'  Our  regiment  suffered  a 
heavy  loss  in  the  death  of  Colonel  Parisen  of  Amboy.  He  was  loved  and 
trusted  by  every  man  under  him.  When  charging  into  the  cornfield  he  led 
us,  mounted  upon  Dick,  his  old  faithful  horse,  and  waving  his  sword.  We 
drove  the  enemy  through  the  cornfield,  over  the  hill  and  out  of  si^ht.  It  was 
here  he  received  his  death  wound.  I  saw  him  after  the  fight,  and  he  looked 
as  natural  as  though  sleeping.  He  died  the  soldier's  death.  '  Old  Dick,' 
as  General  Richardson  is  called,  was  wounded  severely  in  the  shoulder  by  a 
piece  of  shell,  and  it  is  feared  he  may  not  survive.  He  is  a  brave  old  man, 
and  is  thought  everything  of  by  his  troops.  General  Hancock,  so  famous  for 
his  charge  at  Williamsburg  and  Malvern  Hill,  is  now  in  command  of  our 
division." 

Leaving  Warrenton,  Va.,  on  the  I5th,  the  Second  Corps  still  in  advance 
and  General  Sumner  now  leading,  the  line  of  march  was  direct  to  Fredericks- 
burg,  opposite  which  we  halted  November  i7th.  There  was  found  here  a 
cavalry  outpost,  and  this  was  driven  across  the  river. 

On  the  night  of  December  9,  1862,  the  army  before  Fredericksburg  slept 
peacefully  under  their  canvas  roofs  as  they  had  done  many  nights  before;  and 
though  there  was  some  activity,  yet  no  intimation  had  been  given  of  the 
very  near  approach  of  the  terrible  struggle  that  was  so  soon  to  begin. 

We  were  hardly  asleep  on  the  night  of  the  loth  before  orders  came  to  fall  in. 
We  marched  to  the  Lacy  House,  then  down  to  the  shore  of  the  river  where  the 
engineers  were  laying  pontoon  bridges.  Here  we  wandered  around  or  sat  in 
groups  discussing  the  coming  battle  or  lay  down  on  the  ground  to  sleep.  Just 
before  the  light  of  day  men  could  be  seen  running  across  the  streets  of  Freder 
icksburg.  This  seemed  to  be  a  regiment  getting  into  position  for  attack. 
Soon  after,  out  from  the  opposite  bank,  flashed  a  long  line  of  light  followed 
by  the  report  of  musketry.  Nearly  every  man  on  the  bridge  had  fallen  and 
many  of  those  on  the  shore.  Immediately  the  fire  was  returned  by  the 
Fifty-seventh,  and  soon  the  artillery  on  the  heights  above  began  to  beat  down 
the  walls  and  buildings  in  which  the  enemy  were  concealed. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  415 

At  daylight  a  mist  yet  rested  over  the  river  and  hindered  effective  shooting, 
though  the  fire  of  the  enemy  was  silenced,  except  as  sharpshooters  plied  their 
trade  from  hiding  places.  From  5  to  8  o'clock  these  worked  their  wills  with 
little  danger  to  themselves,  but  with  fearful  havoc  to  us.  We  were  entirely 
unsheltered,  and  at  each  report  wondered  whose  turn  had  come,  but  did  not 
have  long  to  wait  before  knowing.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Chapman  stood  by 
his  horse,  and  an  orderly  said  to  him,  "  Colonel,  please  don't  expose  yourself 
unnecessarily."  Just  then  a  bullet  struck  the  orderly  on  the  right  side,  cutting 
his  suspenders  and  frizzling  his  flesh.  He  turned  and  said,  "  That  was  a  prov 
idential  escape."  "  Yes,"  said  the  Colonel,  and  the  next  moment  he  was 
struck,  fatally,  if  was  thought  from  the  location  of  the  wound;  but  in  his 
breast  pocket  were  a  package  of  letters  and  a  blank  book,  and  through  these 
the  ball  passed  before  reaching  the  body,  thus  breaking  its  force  sufficiently 
to  save  his  life.  Captain  Bell  was  struck  in  the  head  with  a  piece  of  shell; 
Captain  Mott  was  wounded  severely  in  the  right  arm;  Lieutenant  Brewster 
had  his  right  arm  fractured;  Lieutenant  White  was  badly  wounded;  2  men 
were  killed  and  23  others  were  wounded.  These  several  losses  were  entirely  in 
dependent  of  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  which  occurred  on  the  I3th,  and 
at  which  the  regiment  again  lost  heavily  in  officers  and  men.  Our  position 
on  the  bank  of  the  river  was  entirely  unprotected,  and  as  we  could  not  get 
near  the  enemy  or  they  near  us  it  seemed  a  useless  sacrifice  of  life  thus  to 
expose  men.  We  could  have  done  some  execution,  perhaps,  if  stationed 
higher  up,  whence  we  could  look  down  behind  the  stone  walls  that  hid  the 
sharpshooters.  As  it  was,  a  man  did  not  have  half  a  chance  for  his  life. 

At  8  o'clock,  being  relieved  by  the  Seventh  Michigan,  the  regiment  marched 
back  to  camp;  then,  about  2  p.  m.,  we  joined  the  brigade  near  the  Phillips 
House  and  remained  there  over  night. 

The  nth  was  a  day  of  bombardment  such  as  even  soldiers  rarely  see.  One 
hundred  and  forty-seven  pieces  of  artillery,  posted  along  Stafford  Heights, 
belched  forth  fire  and  thunder  and  shot,  while  every  discharge  or  bursting 
shell  had  its  quadruple  echo  among  the  dwellings  of  the  city.  It  was  great 
amusement  for  us  to  watch  a  solid  shot  tear  through  a  building,  beat  down  a 
wall,  topple  over  a  chimney,  or  root  out  a  nest  of  sharpshooters.  In  the 
afternoon  troops  were  sent  over  in  boats  to  clear  the  city  so  that  the  engineers 
might  finish  the  bridges  which  were  about  two-thirds  across.  Why  this  was 
not  done  in  the  first  place  does  not  appear;  but  had  it  been,  the  Fifty-seventh 
would  no  doubt  have  formed  part  of  the  crossing  party. 

By  night  the  city  of  Fredericksburg  was  in  our  possession,  and  four  pontoon 
bridges  spanned  the  Rappahannock.  The  troops  on  the  morning  of  the  I2th 
began  to  cross,  Franklin  on  the  lower  bridges  and  Sumner  opposite  the  city. 
It  was  about  noon  that  the  Third  Brigade  passed  over  and  took  position  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  river  near  Water  Street.  Here  we  lay  all  day  watching 
the  crossing  of  the  rest  of  the  army,  and  dodging  pieces  of  bursting  shells. 
That  night  gave  the  last  natural  sleep  of  life  to  many  and  many  a  brave 
soldier.  On  Saturday,  the  I3th  day  of  December,  1862,  the  fateful  battle  of 
Fredericksburg  was  fought  and  lost. 

At  noon  the  attack  on  Marye's  Heights  was  begun  by  the  division  of 
General  French,  the  old  commander  of  the  Third  Brigade.  Hancock's  Divi- 


416  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

sion  followed  French's,  the  Third  Brigade  taking  the  lead.  We  filed  by  the 
right  flank  along  Water  Street,  then  by  the  left  flank  out  one  of  the  streets 
leading  west  to  the  open  ground  beyond  the  buildings.  As  we  turned  west 
the  fun  began.  The  Rebel  artillery  had  exact  range  of  every  cross  street,  and 
as  our  troops  appeared  they  opened  fire,  raking  the  line  from  head  to  rear. 
A  shell  would  strike  in  a  body  of  men  and  fill  the  air  with  pieces  of  flesh, 
clothing  and  accoutrements.  One  shell  struck  a  man  in  the  back,  cut  him  in 
two  and  sent  his  entrails  flying  in  all  directions.  When  we  came  within  rifle 
range  the  boys  involuntarily  pulled  their  hats  down  over  their  eyes  and  leaned 
forward  as  if  breasting  a  storm.  This  hail  came  not  from  one  line  of  rifle  pits, 
but  from  one  above  another,  and  from  fifty  pieces  of  artillery.  Fifteen  hundred 
yards  of  open  plain  had  to  be  crossed,  with  interfering  ditches,  broken  bridges 
and  rail  fences.  At  one  of  these  fences  the  Fifty-seventh  halted  for  a  moment 
and  hesitated,  as  though  asking  whether  it  were  possible  to  go  farther.  It  was 
a  momentary  hesitation  only,  and  when  some  one  cried  "  Forward,"  the  boys 
climbed  over  the  fence  and  advanced  to  the  knoll  within  thirty  yards  of  the 
stone  wall.  This  was  the  farthest  point  reached  during  the  day.  What  was 
left  of  the  regiment  held  this  line  and  kept  up  the  fire  for  more  than  three 
hours.  When  their  ammunition  gave  out  the  boys  used  cartridges  from  the 
boxes  of  dead  and  wounded  comrades.  On  this  knoll  occurred  many  instances 
of  heroism,  making  an  utter  disregard  of  danger  under  the  very  nose  of  long 
lines  of  Rebel  infantry.  At  times  there  were  hardly  enough  bluecoats  to  form 
a  respectable  picket;  yet  the  line  was  held  and  became  an  objective  point  for 
the  netv  battalions  constantly  coming  into  the  fight.  The  remark  of  Captain 
Alcoke  that  only  one  man  got  nearer  the  stone  wall  than  he,  and  that  man  was 
dead,  shows  how  bravely  the  regiment  faced  the  danger,  how  persistently  it 
pressed  forward,  and  how  manfully  it  did  its  duty. 

Three  hours  after  the  first  charge  there  were  yet  six  men  of  the  Fifty-seventh 
on  the  advanced  line,  and  the  regimental  colors  were  with  them.  Corp.  George 
Taylor,  Priv.  William  Hughes,  and  Sergt.  G.  Frederick  are  the  only  three 
whose  names  are  now  remembered.  The  problem  was  to  get  the  colors  off 
the  field,  and  thus  avoid  the  disgrace  of  their  loss.  It  was  planned  that  the 
men  go  off  in  twos,  the  first  couple  to  take  the  colors,  and  if  they  fell,  the 
couple  following  perhaps  would  be  spared  to  carry  them  further,  but  if  not 
they,  then  the  third  couple.  Though  the  fire  was  yet  fierce,  it  mercifully 
happened  that  the  time  of  starting  was  opportune,  and  only  one  of  the  number, 
Corporal  Taylor,  was  seriously  wounded,  and  he  was  carried  off  by  those  who 
followed.  The  rest  were  formed  in  line  and  marched  down  Water  Street,  the 
saved  flag  laughing  in  the  breeze.  We  do  not  chide  these  soldiers  for  the 
feeling  of  pride  that  swelled  their  hearts,  or  for  the  flush  that  crimsoned  their 
cheeks,  as  cheer  after  cheer  greeted  them  along  the  way;  and  the  remark,  "  Is 
that  all  that's  left  of  you,"  told  too  nearly  the  truth  of  the  bloody  sacrifice  of 
the  faithful  Fifty-seventh  on  that  nth  and  i3th  of  December.  The  climax  of 
cheers,  however,  was  reached  when  the  remains  of  the  regiment,  scarce  forty 
men,  who  had  gathered  on  the  shore  of  the  river  and  were  bemoaning  the  loss 
of  the  colors  beheld  the  dear  old  flag  floating  aloft,  yet  in  the  hands  of  its 
defenders.  It  is  not  strange  that  cheers  and  congratulations  and  tears  were 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  417 

mingled  with  earnest  thanksgiving  at  so  providential  a  deliverance  from  a 
calamity  that  no  true  soldier  ever  forgets. 

Night  was  a  welcome  visitor  to  the  broken  hosts  that  lay  along  the  Rappa- 
hannock  on  this  evening  of  the  I3th  of  December.  The  wounded  who  were 
able  crawled  off  the  field,  and  many  who  were  not  able  were  carried  off  on 
stretchers.  We  lay  on  the  shore  during  the  early  evening,  watching  the  Con 
federate  shells  with  burning  fuse  sail  through  the  air  above  like  lighted 
balloons,  until  we  saw  the  flash  and  heard  the  report  that  marked  their 
explosion.  Sometimes  bursting  directly  over  us,  the  pieces  would  thug  into 
the  ground  uncomfortably  near,  or  splash  into  the  river,  or  bury  themselves 
in  human  flesh. 

All  of  the  1 4th  and  I5th  we  lay  on  our  arms  expecting  a  new  attack,  and 
when  on  the  latter  night,  about  10  o'clock,  we  were  ordered  to  the  front, 
supposed  it  was  for  a  night  surprise,  but  found  it  was  to  cover  the  return  of 
the  army  across  the  river.  Here  we  stumbled  in  the  darkness  over  muskets  and 
haversacks,  striking  now  and  again  a  tin  cup,  whose  hollow  noise  would  bring 
a  chance  shot  from  the  enemy.  Finally  we  lay  down  among  the  dead,  and 
remained  until  about  2  o'clock,  when  ordered  again  to  the  rear.  Then  came 
the  shocking  experience  of  trying  to  wake  up  the  man  close  to  whom  we  had 
been  snuggling,  only  to  find  that  he  was  a  dead  man.  Silently  we  stole  away 
to  the  city  and  river,  crossed  the  bridge  and  soon  after  daylight,  on  the  i6th, 
entered  again  the  camp  we  had  left  on  the  night  of  the  loth. 

After  a  night  of  solid  rest  came  the  usual  muster,  and  accounting  for 
absentees.  In  addition  to  those  mentioned  as  wounded  on  the  nth,  Lieut. 
Paul  M.  Pou  was  killed;  Major  Throop,  who  led  the  regiment  into  action, 
was  mortally  wounded,  and  died  January  I2th  following.  Captain  Alcoke  lost 
his  left  arm.  Our  total  loss  on  both  the  nth  and  I3th,  as  corrected  by  latest 
returns,  was  i  officer  and  7  men  killed,  8  officers  and  70  men  wounded,  and 
i  man  missing,  making  a  total  of  87.  Of  the  wounded,  I  officer  and  9  men 
afterwards  died  of  their  wounds. 

The  last  regimental  changes  recorded  were  those  before  the  destructive 
Battle  of  Fredericksburg.  We  are  now  on  the  eve  of  another  battle,  that  of 
Chancellorsville.  A.  B.  Chapman  has  been  commissioned  colonel,  to  rank  from 
April  24,  1863.  Maj.  J.  W.  Britt  took  rank  as  lieutenant  colonel  from  the 
same  date,  and  Capt.  J.  H.  Bell  succeeded  to  the  majorship  on  the  death  of 
Throop,  January  i2th.  Many  of  the  wounded  of  Fredericksburg  are  sufficiently 
recovered  to  be  again  in  their  places,  and  are  ready  for  another  battle  and 
other  wounds.  It  seems  strange,  but  it  is  true,  that  some  men  could  not  get 
near  a  battle  without  getting  shot,  while  others  would  be  in  the  thickest  of 
every  fight  and  not  be  scratched.  The  boys  used  often  to  say,  on  the  eve 
of  an  engagement,  "  I'm  going  to  get  a  comfortable  wound  through  the  calf 
of  my  leg,  just  enough  to  give  me  a  vacation  for  a  month  or  two."  Poor 
fellows!  many  of  them  got  a  long  vacation  from  the  warfare  of  life,  while 
others,  after  intensest  sufferings,  lived  to  be  lifelong  cripples.  It  was  a  common 
expression  also,  "  The  bullet  that  is  to  hit  me  is  not  made  yet,"  and  it  was 

27 


4i 8  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

not  uncommon  for  persons  to  have  premonitions  of  death,  as  in  the  case  of 
Colonel  Chapman. 

The  Chancellorsville  campaign  began  with  the  reception  of  orders  in  April, 
1863,  to  march  the  next  day  at  noon.  There  were  issued  8  days'  rations  and 
1 60  rounds  of  cartridges.  Each  man  was  to  carry  one  shirt,  one  pair  of  drawers, 
one  pair  of  pants  and  one  pair  of  socks.  All  other  clothing,  except  these  and 
what  he  had  on,  was  to  be  packed  and  delivered  to  the  quartermaster;  no 
officer's  baggage  was  allowed. 

The  evening  and  night  of  May  ist  were  not  restful,  as  there  was  heavy 
artillery  firing  in  our  vicinity,  and  much  activity  among  the  skirmishers.  Wak 
ing  on  the  2d,  the  Fifty-seventh  found  itself  on  the  left-centre  of  our  line  and 
near  its  apex.  It  was  part  of  the  time  in  the  woods  and  part  in  the  open 
space.  The  fighting  began  as  soon  as,  or  even  before,  the  day  dawned,  and 
as  the  position  occupied  by  us  was  at  a  point  where  the  line  formed  a  sharp 
convex,  the  battle  raged  on  three  sides  with  intensest  fury.  Stonewall  Jackson 
had  moved  25,000  men  across  our  front,  had  attacked  our  extreme  right  flank 
and  broken  it  all  to  pieces. 

The  Fifty-seventh  formed  a  part  of  the  famous  picket  line,  under  Col.  Nelson 
A.  Miles,  whose  gallant  resistance  to  an  attack  of  the  enemy  in  force  was  a 
notable  and  redeeming  feature  of  that  disastrous  battle.  The  part  taken  by 
the  Fifty-seventh  made  it  conspicuous  in  the  entire  battle.  No  less  than  ten 
times  is  it  mentioned  in  the  reports  of  the  general  officers.  There  was 
continuous  falling  back  from  the  time  we  were  ordered  to  retire  from  the 
first  position,  a  mile  beyond  Chancellorsville,  on  the  first  day.  General  Cald- 
well,  in  his  report,  says  "  The  Fifty-second  and  the  Fifty-seventh  New  York, 
of  General  Zook's  Brigade,  behaved  admirably." 

All  the  fighting  of  the  third  clay  was  for  the  Chancellorsville  position,  and 
by  night  Hooker  had  lost  it.  General  Lee  ordered  forward  his  entire  line, 
and  the  space  before  the  Chancellor  House  was  a  very  pandemonium  of  hissing 
shells.  The  Rebel  infantry  piled  out  from  the  woods  over  our  intrenched 
position,  in  charge  after  charge,  but  were  repulsed  until,  ammunition  gone,  and 
no  supports  arriving, —  though  more  than  20,000  men  had  not  had  a  decent 
chance  to  get  at  the  enemy, —  a  part  of  the  line  gave  way,  followed  by  another, 
then  another,  and  finally  the  roads  converging  at  Chancellorsville  were  given 
up,  and  the  whole  army  fell  back  to  a  new  position.  In  counting  up  the  losses 
it  was  found  that  2  men  had  been  killed,  2  officers  and  26  men  had  been 
wounded  and  i  man  was  missing,  making  a  total  loss  of  31.  Lieutenant  Paden, 
aide  at  brigade  headquarters,  and  Captain  Britt  were  among  the  wounded. 

The  Second  Corps,  acting  as  rear  guard,  started  on  the  Gettysburg  cam 
paign  the  1 5th  day  of  June,  1863.  During  two  nights  and  days  there  was 
almost  no  opportunity  for  sleep,  and  there  was  very  little  on  the  third  night. 
The  weather  being  intensely  sultry,  many  fell  out  from  utter  exhaustion,  and 
not  a  few  from  sunstroke.  The  march  continued  by  way  of  Stafford  Court- 
House,  Aquia,  Dumfries  and  Wolf  Run  Shoals.  On  the  i/th  the  regiment 
was  at  Sangster's  Station,  having  traveled  more  than  forty  miles. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th  of  June  the  regiment  started  on  what  was  per 
haps  the  most  remarkable  day's  march  during  its  service.  The  day  was  hot 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  419 

throughout,  and  the  halts  were  brief.  From  early  morning  through  afternoon 
to  evening,  and  then  till  midnight,  the  press  was  forward.  There  was  com 
plaint  and  grumbling  and  growling  and  worse.  The  men  declared  that  Han 
cock  would  not  stop  until  he  got  to  Harrisburg.  Colonel  Chapman  was  very 
patient,  and  said  it  was  a  soldier's  privilege  to  grumble.  Straggling  began 
early,  and  rapidly  increased  towards  evening;  it  was  fearful  by  midnight,  and 
when  the  regiment  halted  for  the  night  there  were  twenty-seven  men  present 
besides  the  staff.  The  day  began  with  route-march,  and  ended  with  go-as-you- 
please.  The  different  regiments  became  mingled  with  the  stragglers,  and  the 
stragglers  with  other  regiments  than  their  own.  At  the  end  of  the  column, 
when  the  last  regimental  staff  had  passed,  there  followed  an  army  01  the 
lame,  the  halt,  the  sick,  and,  last  of  all,  the  born  tired.  The  ambulances  were 
full  of  both  officers  and  men.  It  is  said  that  1,000  men  in  the  Second  Corps 
v/ere  physically  disabled  for  weeks  thereafter.  Even  many  who  went  into  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  and  did  good  service  under  its  stimulus,  after  it  was 
over  were  sent  to  the  hospitals  at  Washington  and  Baltimore  for  general 
repairs.  The  halt  was  near  Uniontown;  the  route  had  been  by  way  of  Liberty 
and  Johnsville,  a  distance  of  nearly  thirty-five  miles.  At  Uniontown  the  corps 
rested  over  the  3oth.  All  day  long  the  stragglers  were  coming  up,  and  one 
by  one  joined  their  regiments.  A  motley,  dirty  crowd  they  were;  for,  having 
fallen  in  their  tracks  and  slept,  an  early  start  was  made  to  find  their  camps, 
mostly  without  washing  or  cleaning. 

Distant  cannonading  greeted  our  ears  as,  on  the  morning  of  the  ist  day 
of  July,  we  stretched  again  our  stiffened  limbs.  The  advance  of  the  army,  com 
posed  of  the  First  and  Eleventh  Corps,  under  General  Reynolds,  had  passed 
Gettysburg  a  mile  or  more  when  it  encountered  the  Confederates  concen 
trating  on  that  place.  Orders  had  come  for  the  Second  Corps  to  move  rapidly 
in  the  direction  of  the  firing.  The  Third  Brigade  was  detained  during  the 
morning  to  guard  the  wagon  trains,  but  after  dinner  was  hurried  fonvard  and 
reached  Gettysburg  before  daylight  on  the  2d  day  of  July.  At  Taneytown 
it  was  reported  to  us  that  General  Reynolds  had  been  killed;  that  there  had 
been  desperate  fighting;  that  the  two  corps  were  broken  to  pieces  and  half 
of  them  captured. 

The  Second  Corps  occupied  the  left-centre,  on  Cemetery  Ridge,  a  little  to 
the  left  of  Cemetery  Hill.  There  was  a  clear  field  in  front,  extending  down 
a  gradual  descent  to  the  bed  of  a  stream  called  Plum  Run,  beyond  which  was 
the  Emmitsburg  Road.  Seminary  Ridge,  on  which  the  Rebels  had  massed 
their  forces,  began  to  rise  just  beyond  the  road.  Its  crest  was  about  a  mile 
from  and  ran  nearly  parallel  to  Cemetery  Ridge,  along  which  the  Union  Army 
was  posted.  On  our  left-front  was  the  Peach  Orchard,  in  its  rear  the  Wheat- 
field,  and  to  the  left-rear  of  these  were  woods  and  the  two  Round  Tops.  Far 
to  the  right  was  the  town  of  Gettysburg,  and  to  the  right-rear  Gulp's  Hill,  the 
extreme  right  of  our  line.  General  Longstreet  occupied  the  Rebel  right-wing; 
hence  our  fighting  was  with  Longstreet's  Corps.  General  Lee,  thinking  the 
Peach  Orchard  was  the  left  of  our  line,  expected  by  turning  it  to  double  our 
flank  and  get  into  our  rear;  so  Longstreet  massed  his  men  under  cover  of 


420  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBUKG. 

the  woods,  and  hurled  brigade  after  brigade  upon  the  Third  Corps  in  the 
Peach  Orchard  and  Wheatlield. 

The  fighting  thus  begun  on  the  left  continued  with  fury.  General  Sickles 
had  formed  the  Third  Corps  into  a  right  angle,  the  ends  resting  on  the  main 
line  and  the  angle  in  the  Peach  Orchard.  The  fighting  was  stubborn,  but  the 
line  gave  way,  the  Rebels  poured  into  the  Peach  Orchard,  thence  through  the 
opening  and  the  woods  into  the  Wheatfield,  and  up  to  Plum  Run.  It  was 
at  this  junction  that  Hancock  sent  the  First  Division  of  the  Second  Corps  into 
the  Wheatfield  to  drive  back  the  victorious  enemy. 

When  about  4  o'clock,  p.  m.,  the  order  came  to  move,  the  Fifty-seventh  fell 
in,  filed  left,  went  into  the  woods,  and  was  soon  under  fire.  As  we  pushed 
forward,  the  three  regiments  of  the  brigade  making  the  first  line,  and  the 
Fifty-seventh  the  second,  man  after  man  fell  in  his  tracks,  some  instantly 
killed,  others  wounded.  We  soon  returned  the  fire,  still  pushing  forward  over 
rocks,  through  underbrush  and  dense  woods  to  the  opening  opposite  the  Peach 
Orchard.  In  this  advance,  as  General  Zook  was  jumping  his  horse  over  a 
stone  wall,  he  received  the  bullet  that  put  an  end  to  his  service  and  his  life. 
When  the  Rebels  came  in  on  our  right  Colonel  Chapman  gave  the  order, 
"  About  face !  "  We  fell  back  to  the  stone  wall,  then  turned  and  gave  the 
enemy  such  a  volley  of  lead  as,  for  a  time,  disordered  his  advance.  One  or  two 
of  the  boys  lingered  at  the  edge  of  the  woods  as  the  Rebels  in  battalion  front 
came  from  the  opposite  woods  into  the  opening.  They  were  marching  steadily, 
with  colors  flying  as  though  on  dress  parade,  and  guns  at  right-shoulder-shift. 
They  looked  harmless,  but  the  lingering  boys  did  not  care  to  make  a  closer 
acquaintance  and  hurried  on  to  their  regiment.  It  seemed  miraculous  that 
any  one  came  out  of  that  wood  alive,  so  terrible  was  the  fire  when  we  entered 
it.  The  fighting  in  this  locality  continued  through  the  afternoon,  each  side 
charging  and  falling  back  alternately,  until  night  put  an  end  to  the  carnage. 

Thus  ended  the  second  day  at  Gettysburg,  and  that  night,  what  was  left 
of  the  Fifty-seventh  lay  down  in  its  place  on  the  Ridge  to  sleep,  intensely 
wearied  by  the  long  marching  and  heavy  fighting.  Yet  sleep  did  not  readily 
kiss  the  eyelids  of  these  dusty,  blood-stained  warriors.  A  gentle  breeze  came 
across  the  battlefield,  bearing  on  its  bosom  the  moans  of  the  suffering  wounded, 
a  sound  indescribably  desolate,  which  could  not  be  shut  out  even  by  covering 
the  head.  But  weary  nature  did  at  last  assert  its  claims,  and  the  serried  lines 
of  blue  were  hushed  in  slumber. 

Before  daylight  on  the  3d  day  of  July  all  was  astir  again.  Such  a  breakfast 
as  could  be  gotten  was  soon  over,  accoutrements  were  put  on,  boxes  refilled 
with  cartridges,  and  all  was  ready  for  the  fray.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  no  move 
ment  was  made  by  either  side;  the  expected  attack  on  our  front  did  not 
materialize.  On  the  right,  however,  Ewell's  men  were  driven  out  of  the 
intrenchments  they  had  taken  the  night  before.  .Nine  o'clock  came,  and 
still  all  was  quiet.  What  does  it  mean?  General  Lee  has  tried  our  left 
and  has  tried  our  right,  but  has  gained  nothing  except  repulse.  What  will 
he  try  next?  As  noon  comes  something  appears  to  be  brewing  in  the  Rebel 
camp;  we  will  hear  from  it  after  dinner. 

About  i  o'clock  the  boom  of  a  rebel  cannon  gave  the  signal,  and  suddenly 
140  of  its  fellows  opened  their  fiery  throats  and  roared.  Thus  commenced  and 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  421 

continued  what  was  perhaps  the  greatest  artillery  duel  of  the  whole  war.  Both 
Seminary  and  Cemetery  Ridges  seemed  on  fire  with  blaze  and  smoke;  the 
air  was  full  of  hissing  demons;  the  thunder  benumbed  the  ears  and  shattered 
the  nerves.  A  battery  near  us  was  literally  hammered  to  pieces,  so  accurate 
and  effective  was  the  enemy's  aim.  After  an  hour  the  firing  ceased,  and  for 
a  time  the  stillness  was  oppressive.  Then  we  saw  what  it  all  meant.  Over 
the  hill  came  a  long  line  of  skirmishers,  and  behind  them  a  line  of  battle,  and 
behind  that  line  another  and  then  another. 

It  was  a  beautiful  sight  to  see  these  long  lines  of  men  with  bayonets  fixed 
and  glistening.  From  right  to  left  a  wave-like  motion  ran  along  the  moving 
columns  as  they  tramped  down  the  sloping  hillside  into  the  valley.  But  let 
us  turn  to  the  sterner  aspects  of  this  scene.  All  our  batteries  now  open  on  the 
advancing  Confederates;  their  ranks  are  ploughed  with  shot  and  shell;  great 
breaches  are  made  in  their  columns,  but  they  close  up  touching  toward  the 
centre.  We  are  getting  even  with  them  for  the  reception  they  gave  us  at 
Fredericksburg. 

The  path  of  this  charge  is  strewn  with  the  fallen,  the  centre  of  contact  is 
piled  with  Rebel  dead,  and  now  what  remains  of  the  14,000  men  who  started 
out,  either  yields  or  runs  back  towards  the  ridge  whence  they  came.  The 
struggle  has  been  terrible;  the  victory  is  complete. 

The  position  of  the  Fifty-seventh  was  so  far  to  the  left  that  the  charging 
column  did  not  come  up  to  it,  except  those  who  dropped  their  guns  and  came 
in  as  prisoners  of  war.  Our  view  of  the  whole  charge  and  repulse  was  superb. 
We  felt  sure  that  such  an  attack  could  not  succeed,  though  it  was  not  as  light 
a  matter  as  our  confidence  made  it.  All  manner  of  fun  and  laughter  and 
ridiculous  speeches  went  the  rounds.  "  Come  on,  Johnnie,  we  long  to  embrace 
you,"  "  They  must  be  hungry  for  lead,"  "  As  they  drop  on  our  bayonets  we 
will  help  them  to  the  rear,"  "  See  them  skedaddle," —  indeed  anything  that 
could  be  thought  of  to  heighten  the  occasion  was  contributed. 

Our  losses  in  this  battle  were:  4  men  killed,  2  officers  and  26  men  wounded, 
and  2  men  missing,  making  a  total  of  34.  Captain  Mott  and  Lieutenant  Hall 
were  among  the  wounded. 

General  Zook  was  a  good  disciplinarian;  he  hated  cowardice  and  shams;  had 
no  patience  with  a  man  that  neglected  duty;  was  blunt,  somewhat  severe,  yet 
good  hearted.  He  was  a  born  soldier,  quick  of  intellect,  and  absolutely  with 
out  fear.  When  shot,  he  turned  to  his  aid,  and  said,  "  It's  all  up  with  me, 
Favill."  He  leaned  forward,  was  taken  from  his  horse  and  carried  to  the  rear. 
The  following  afternoon,  July  3d,  he  died.  A  few  moments  before  his  death, 
he  inquired  of  Adjutant-General  Favill  how  the  battle  was  going.  When  in 
formed  of  Pickett's  charge  and  he  w  the  enemy  was  routed,  he  said,  "  Then  I 
am  satisfied,  and  am  ready  to  die." 

John  Schwartz,  writing  home  to  Comrade  Com  moss  the  following  August, 
speaks  thus  of  the  wound  of  General  Zook:  "The  General  was  struck  in  the 
abdomen,  some  say  with  a  piece  of  shell ;  but  I  was  with  him  all  the  time  after 
he  was  wounded  until  he  died.  I  examined  the  wound  after  his  death, 
and  was  fully  convinced  that  it  was  a  musket  ball  that  struck  him.  lie  died 
very  easy.  When  struck  he  was  on  his  horse  in  front  of  the  brigade." 


422 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


The  Overland  campaign,  which  within  a  year  was  to  end  in  the  capture 
of  Richmond,  the  destruction  of  Lee's  army,  and  the  breaking  up  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy,  was  begun  on  the  3d  day  of  May,  1864.  On  the  after 
noon  of  that  day,  orders  were  received  to  break  camp  and  get  ready  to  move. 
It  was  about  midnight  when  the  regiment  took  up  its  line  of  march  eastward 
on  the  road  to  Richardsville,  and  thence  south  to  Ely's  Ford.  The  night  was 
exceedingly  dark,  and  with  great  difficulty  the  trail  was  kept.  After  daylight, 
on  the  4th,  the  Rapidan  was  crossed,  and  the  inarch  continued  towards  Chan- 
cellorsville,  which  was  reached  about  2  p.  m.  Things  looked  familiar  here,  for 
on  this  spot,  just  a  year  before,  General  Hooker  fought  his  unsuccessful  battle. 
There  were  yet  many  signs  in  the  trees  and  the  graves  of  that  fearful  struggle 
of  May  2  and  3,  1863. 

The  corps  was  delayed  here  several  hours,  waiting  for  the  army  wagons  to 
get  over  the  river,  a  train  said  to  be  sixty-five  miles  long;  so  the  old  battlefield 
was  our  camping  ground  on  the  night  of  the  4th.  A  line  of  battle  was  formed, 
guns  stacked  and  blankets  laid  for  sleeping.  The  entire  night  was  quiet,  and 
at  7  o'clock,  on  the  5th,  the  march  was  resumed,  southward  towards  Todd's 
Tavern. 

On  reaching  a  place  along  the  Brock  Road,  about  three  miles  southeast 
from  Wilderness  Tavern,  the  First  Division,  under  General  Barlow,  took 
position  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Union  line,  facing  south  and  east.  About 
noon  Colonel  Chapman  was  ordered  to  take  charge  of  the  skirmish  line  in  the 
brigade  front.  Leaving  the  regiment,  he  was  engaged  in  these  duties  until 
about  5  o'clock,  when  the  line  pushed  forward  through  the  dense  woods  towards 
the  unfinished  railroad  bed,  and  here  was  met  by  the  'advance  of  Hill's  Con 
federate  corps,  which  had  hurried  from  Orange  Court  House.  The  clash  was 
sudden,  and  at  once,  what  is  called  "  one  of  the  fiercest  battles  of  history  " 
was  on  in  earnest. 

At  the  first  fire  Colonel  Chapman  was  struck,  and  in  a  few  moments  was 
dead.  The  Fifty-seventh  and  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  New  York 
were  detached  from  the  brigade  to  support  this  hard-pressed  line,  and  in  line 
of  battle  charged  forward  over  the  ground  where  the  colonel's  body  lay.  One 
of  the  officers,  discovering  him,  called  out,  "  Your  colonel  is  killed,  avenge 
your  colonel!  "  whereupon  there  was  a  mad  rush  forward,  which  compelled 
the  enemy  to  give  way  at  every  point.  Three  separate  charges  were  thus  made, 
and  the  advanced  position  held  for  more  than  half  an  hour.  Coming  thus 
suddenly  upon  the  lifeless  body  of  the  colonel,  who  was  supposed  to  be  alive, 
was  an  inexpressible  shock,  and  awakened  a  determination  to  whip  the  men 
who  killed  him.  Hence  these  persistent  advances  against  superior  numbers. 

The  enemy,  however,  soon  came  on  again  by  brigades  and  divisions,  and 
we  fell  back  slowly,  firing  as  we  went,  getting  in  clumps  of  trees  and  picking 
off  the  Rebels  as  they  came  in  sight.  It  was  in  this  wood,  near  the  Brock  Road, 
that  about  all  our  losses  in  the  entire  three  days'  fight  occurred.  It  was  now 
near  6  o'clock,  and  the  whole  army,  from  Sedgwick  on  the  right  and  Warren 
in  the  centre,  to  Hancock  on  the  left,  were  heavily  engaged.  The  men  on 
both  sides  were  fresh  from  the  long  rest  of  the  winter,  so  the  charges  were 
impetuous  and  often  irresistible.  Lieutenant  Frederick  was  shot  while  out 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  423 

in  front  of  the  line,  bringing  back  some  boys  who  were  hid  in  a  cluster  of 
trees,  picking  off  the  enemy,  and  was  by  them  carried  off  the  field.  Theodore 
Taylor  was  kneeling  behind  a  tree,  looking  along  the  ground  for  a  sure  shot, 
when  discovering  what  he  was  after,  he  aimed  his  gun,  but  before  the  trigger 
could  be  pulled,  a  ball  struck  him  in  the  breast  and  he  was  dead.  Henry 
Crofut  and  four  others  soon  followed  him  to  the  unseen  land. 

About  dark  we  were  relieved,  and  the  rest  of  the  brigade,  which  appears  by 
the  report  of  its  commander  not  to  have  been  engaged  as  yet,  came  up  and 
joined  us  at  10  p.  m.  After  midnight  the  regiment  took  position  in  the 
intrenchments  on  the  Brock  Road.  At  daybreak,  on  the  6th,  it  moved  out 
of  the  works,  marched  around  considerably,  was  deployed  as  skirmishers, 
captured  some  of  Longstreet's  men,  and  by  noon  was  back  in  the  breastworks, 
where  it  remained  during  the  afternon  and  night.  On  the  8th,  the  regiment 
was  detailed  by  General  Hancock  as  an  escort  to  the  wounded,  and  ordered 
to  Fredericksburg-. 

Colonel  Chapman  was  present  with  the  regiment,  and  fought  in  all  its 
battles  until  his  death.  At  the  laying  of  the  pontoons  at  Fredericksburg  he 
was  severely  wounded,  but  returned  in  time  for  Chancellorsville.  He  is  said 
to  have  had  a  premonition  of  his  fate.  Before  he  went  into  the  battle  of  the 
5th  of  May,  in  conversation  with  one  of  his  officers,  he  said  this  would  be  his 
last  battle.  Some  men  always  talk  thus  before  a  battle,  but  not  he,  for  if 
accounts  are  true  he  made  the  same  remark  to  several  persons,  even  to  General 
Hancock  himself.  When  we  found  him  he  was  on  his  back,  as  though  he  had 
rolled  over  from  lying  on  his  left  side.  When  shot  he  took  a  note-book  from 
his  pocket  and  wrote  his  father's  name  and  address,  with  these  words :  "  Dear 
Father:  I  am  mortally  wounded.  Do  not  grieve  for  me.  My  dearest  love  to 
all. —  Alford."  These  words  are  engraved  on  his  tombstone  in  Greenwood 
Cemetery,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Our  losses  at  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  as  officially  given,  are  I  officer 
and  6  men  killed,  5  men  who  died  of  wounds,  i  officer  and  48  men  wounded, 
and  i  man  missing,  making  a  total  of  58.  The  fire  in  our  front  on  the  6th 
was  very  heart-rending.  The  poor  fellows  who  were  alive,  and  yet  were 
too  crippled  or  too  near  dead  to  move,  lay  groaning  amid  the  burning  leaves, 
the  last  ray  of  hope  for  life  gone.  They  had  fought  bravely  and  deserved  a 
better  chance,  for  many  of  them  would  have  lived  had  not  the  smoke  suffocated 
and  the  fire  burned  them.  The  clothes  of  many  of  the  dead  were  entirely 
consumed,  and  their  bodies  lay  blackened  and  charred  among  the  ashes. 

The  regiment  remained  at  Fredericksburg  until  the  28th  of  May  when,  with 
other  troops,  it  formed  a  provisional  brigade  under  General  Cesnola,  and 
started  for  the  main  army,  which  was  now  at  Cold  Harbor.  This  point  was 
reached  on  the  3d  of  June,  but  it  was  not  until  the  following  day  that  we  joined 
Hie  brigade.  At  Cold  Harbor  some  skirmishing  was  done  by  the  regiment. 

The  Third  Brigade,  at  this  time,  was  commanded  by  Col.  Clinton  D. 
McDougall,  and  was  composed  of  six  New  York  regiments  in  the  order  named: 
Thirty-ninth,  Fifty-second,  Fifty-seventh,  One  hundred  and  eleventh,  One 
hundred  and  twenty-fifth  and  One  hundred  and  twenty-sixth.  General 
Barlow  commanded  the  division,  General  Miles  the  First  Brigade,  Colonel 


424  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

• 

Kelly  the  Second,  and  Colonel  Beaver  the  Fourth.  General  Gibbon  led  the 
Second  Division,  and  General  Birney  the  Third.  The  movement  towards 
Petersburg  commenced  on  the  night  of  June  I2th. 

On  June  i6th,  at  4  p.  m.,  the  Third  Brigade  advanced  on  the  enemy's  works 
at  a  point  near  the  Hare  House.  It  was  hoped  that  Lee's  men  had  not  yet 
arrived;  but,  to  our  sorrow,  they  were  found  to  be  on  hand.  After  piling 
knapsacks  the  line  of  battle  was  formed,  bayonets  were  fixed,  guns  put  at 
right-shoulder-shift,  the  command  "  Forward  "  was  given,  and  out  we  moved 
into  a  hail  of  shell,  canister  and  lead  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  hungriest  warrior. 

The  boys  greatly  dreaded  this  charge,  as  it  seemed  a  hopeless  one.  After 
forming  line  they  waited  quite  a  while  before  advancing,  and  this  led  to  a 
calculation  of  chances  for  life  and  to  a  consequent  loss  of  nerve.  Many 
good-byes  were  said  and  loving  messages  left  for  home  friends.  The  plain 
over  which  the  attacking  party  must  pass  was  swept  by  a  direct  and  cross  fire 
from  the  earthworks  that  crowned  the  ridge  beyond.  Over  this  plain  the 
brigade  charged  in  close  column  to  a  fence,  behind  which  were  the  enemy's 
advanced  rifle-pits.  Here  the  men  became  somewhat  huddled  and  hesitated, 
when  the  color  bearer,  Charlie  Van  Hise,  carried  the  flag  unfurled  over  the 
fence  and  into  the  orchard,  followed  by  the  regiment,  the  Rebels  giving  way 
and  falling  back  to  their  main  line. 

The  position  thus  gained  by  the  First  Division,  including  three  redoubts 
and  their  connected  works,  was  held  and  fortified,  our  pickets  occupying  the 
orchard  beyond.  General  Barlow  led  this  attack  in  person,  with  hat  in  hand. 
The  losses  of  the  Fifty-seventh  were  severe.  Captain  Alcoke  was  shot  through 
the  lungs;  Lieutenants  Britton  and  Brower  were  severely  wounded;  Captain 
Middleton,  Lieutenant  Moore  and  Adjutant  Case  were  slightly  wounded;  3  men 
were  killed  and  36  wounded. 

On  the  I7th,  before  daybreak,  the  brigade  again  charged  on  the  enemy's 
works  and  drove  him  out,  capturing  a  battery  and  taking  some  prisoners.  One 
Rebel  officer  who  was  captured  said:  "  If  you  had  let  me  know  you  were 
coming  so  early  in  the  morning,  I  would  have  tried  to  give  you  a  warmer 
reception."  We  were  soon  relieved,  and  fell  back  to  the  rifle-pits,  thrown  up 
during  the  night,  which  now  became  our  second  line.  In  this  morning's  charge 
Captain  Wright  was  shot  in  the  foot,  which  was  afterwards  amputated  in  the 
hope  of  saving  his  life,  but  he  died  July  2d  following.  Captains  Favill  and 
Jones  were  also  wounded,  but  not  seriously. 

The  same  afternoon,  June  i/th,  the  Ninth  Corps,  under  General  Burnside, 
made  an  attack  that  was  partially  successful,  in  which  he  was  supported  by 
our  division.  Major  Kirk,  while  watching  this  charge,  was  mortally  wounded, 
and  died  two  days  later  at  City  Point. 

The  Second  Corps,  in  August,  took  up  its  old  position  near  the  Deserted 
House,  and  remained  in  reserve  for  two  weeks  without  disturbance.  It  was 
about  August  ist  that  another  squad  of  recruits,  to  the  number  of  150,  was 
added  to  the  regiment.  The  i2th  of  August  found  us  on  the  road  a  second 
time  to  Deep  Bottom,  via  City  Point  and  transports.  We  took  position  on 
the  New  Market  Road,  did  considerable  skirmishing  and  picket  duty,  and 
returned  to  Petersburg  on  the  2oth,  via  Point  of  Rocks.  Captain  Bronson 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  425 

lost  his  right  arm  August  I4th,  while  serving  on  the  staff  of  the  Third  Brigade. 
This  return  march  was  especially  trying  on  account  of  an  all  night  rain,  and 
the  consequent  horrid  condition  of  the  roads;  yet,  despite  its  exhausted  con 
dition,  the  corps,  in  a  few  hours  after  reaching  its  old  camp,  was  started  out 
again,  this  time  towards  the  west. 

On  the  22d  of  August,  General  Hancock  was  sent  with  his  corps  twelve 
miles  south  to  Reams'  Station.  Here  the  First  Division  occupied  the  line  of 
battle  all  of  the  23d,  while  the  other  divisions  were  tearing  up  the  track,  but 
on  the  24th,  took  its  turn  destroying  the  road,  while  others  held  the  line  of 
battle.  We  worked  southward  all  day  from  Reams'  Station  to  Rowanty  Creek, 
and  returned  to  the  station  at  night.  The  work  of  destruction  was  begun 
again  early  on  the  25th,  but  was  interrupted  by  an  assault  of  the  enemy. 
Skirmishing  began  about  9  in  the  morning,  and  at  2  in  the  afternoon  the  first 
attack  in  force  was  made  by  four  brigades  of  A.  P.  Hill.  The  Third  Brigade 
occupied  the  rifle-pits  near  the  apex  of  the  line,  and  the  fighting  was  heaviest 
on  its  front.  Charge  after  charge  was  made  with  determination  by  the  Rebels, 
but  each  was  repulsed.  Finally  they  charged  two  columns  deep,  and  some 
new  men  on  the  left  broke,  and  the  enemy  got  in  on  our  flank;  yet  our  boys 
held  on,  using  the  bayonet,  until,  left  alone  and  outnumbered,  many  of  them 
were  taken  prisoners. 

Several  hand-to-hand  encounters  occurred  in  this  struggle.  One  of  our 
boys,  called  "  Frenchie," —  Pettit  by  name  —  got  a  Rebel  by  the  collar  and  was 
dragging  him  over  the  breastworks,  when  he  received  a  bayonet  thrust  in 
the  head.  Charles  Eichorn  had  a  pitched  battle  with  a  "  Johnnie,"  knocked 
him  down,  and  was  in  turn  knocked  down,  but  finally  got  away  alive.  The 
most  heroic  conduct  was  that  of  a  Dane  in  Company  I,  who,  when  the  Con 
federate  colors  were  planted  on  our  works,  sprang  for  and  grabbed  them.  He 
was  instantly  shot  by  a  Rebel  officer,  but,  as  he  fell,  held  the  colors  in  his 
grip,  was  drawn  over  the  works,  and  did  not  release  his  hold  until  they  had 
pounded  his  arms  and  hands  and  fairly  wrung  the  flag  from  his  dying  clutch. 
Our  regimental  colors  had  a  narrow-  escape,  and  were  saved  only  by  the 
valor  of  the  color  bearer,  Charlie  Van  Hise,  who,  tearing  them  from  the 
staff,  wrapped  them  around  his  body  and  thus  succeeded  in  getting  them 
off  the  field. 

In  the  battle  of  Reams'  Station  the  Fifty-seventh  lost  3  in  killed,  I  who 
died  of  wounds,  6  wounded  and  23  missing,  making  a  total  loss  of  33.  More 
men  of  our  regiment  were  taken  prisoners  in  this  afternoon's  engagement  than 
in  any  other  one  battle  during  the  entire  war.  The  Fifty-seventh  on  the  i6th 
and  I7th  of  June,  lost  10  out  of  its  12  officers,  and  the  men  left  were  in  number 
not  enough  to  make  a  respectable  platoon. 

This  last  pitched  battle  of  the  Fifty-seventh  was  marked,  we  are  happy  to 
say,  by  much  general  valor  and  individual  heroism,  the  boys  fighting  desperately 
at  close  quarters,  and  carrying  its  imperiled  colors  triumphantly  from  the 
field.  When  night  came  on  the  corps  returned  to  its  old  place,  near  the  Williams 
House,  and  for  a  time  had  rest. 

Its  term  of  service  having  expired,  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  by  com 
panies  at  different  dates  in  July,  August,  September  and  October  of  1864. 


426  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

The  men  with  unexpired  terms  of  enlistment  were  placed  in  Companies  E  and 
G,  which  were  transferred,  on  December  6,  1864,  to  the  Sixty-first  New  York. 

The  Fifty-seventh  had  in  succession  three  colonels,  Samuel  K.  Zook,  Alford 
B.  Chapman  and  James  W.  Britt.  In  addition  to  Colonel  Zook,  who  was 
killed  after  he  had  been  promoted  to  a  brigadier,  the  regiment  lost  four  field 
officers  killed  in  battle,  viz.:  Col.  Alford  B.  Chapman,  killed  at  the  Wilder 
ness;  Lieut.  Col.  Philip  J.  Parisen,  killed  at  Antietam;  Maj.  N.  G.  Throop, 
mortally  wounded  at  Fredericksburg;  and  Maj.  William  A.  Kirk,  killed  at 
Petersburg. 

The  total  losses  by  death  were  8  officers  and  95  enlisted  men,  killed  or 
mortally  wounded;  and  I  officer  and  74  men  who  died  of  disease.  Its  total 
casualties  in  action  were  103  killed  or  mortally  wounded,  327  wounded,  and 
75  missing  or  captured;  total,  505. 

The  Fifty-seventh  served  with  distinction  in  many  battles,  and  was  either 
actively  engaged  or  under  fire  at  the  following  engagements:  Fair  Oaks, 
Gaines's  Mill,  Peach  Orchard,  Savage  Station,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Glendale, 
Malvern  Hill,  Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Auburn, 
Bristoe  Station,  Mine  Run,  Wilderness,  Spotsylvania,  Cold  Harbor,  Assault 
on  Petersburg,  Weldon  Railroad,  Deep  Bottom,  Strawberry  Plains,  Reams' 
Station,  and  Siege  of  Petersburg. 


F.   J.    SEVERF.NCE,   PHOTO. 


J.  K.  LYON   I'lUNT. 

58TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 

North  of  the  town,  near  the  O.trlisi  •  Ko;ul.     Field  on  which  the  Eleventh  Corps  fought. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  427 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 
58ra  NEW  YORK 

INFANTRY 

2ND  BRIGADE 

SRD  DIVISION 

UTII  CORPS 

(Reverse;) 

Two  COMPANIES  OF  THE 
REGIMENT  HELD  THIS  POSITION 

JULY  i,  1863. 

UNTIL  ORDERED  TO  CEMETERY  HlLL. 

WERE  THERE  JOINED  BY  THE  OTHER 

COMPANIES  AND  ENGAGED  ON 

THE  2D  AND  30.    AFTER  THE 

REPULSE  OF  PICKETT'S  CHARGE 

SKIRMISHED  INTO  GETTYSBURG. 

CASUALTIES; 

KILLED  2,  W'OUNDED  15,  MISSING  3; 
TOTAL,  20. 


428  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT. 
58TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

July  2,  1888. 
HISTORICAL  SKETCH. 

The  Fifty-eighth  Regiment  was  composed  almost  entirely  of  men  of  foreign 
birth.  Various  nationalities  were  represented  in  its  organization,  composed  of 
Poles,  Germans,  Danes,  Italians,  Russians,  and  Frenchmen,  most  of  whom 
were  recruited  in  New  York  city.  It  was  organized  by  consolidating  some 
regiments  which  had  failed  to  complete  their  organization. 

In  August,  1861,  Colonel  Wladimir  Krzyzanowski,  a  Polish  officer  who  had 
seen  service  in  the  Polish  war,  was  authorized  by  the  Hon.  Simon  Cameron, 
Secretary  of  War,  at  Washington,  to  recruit  a  regiment,  and  he  succeeded  in 
enlisting  about  400  men,  whom  he  called  the  United  States  Rifles.  Colonel 
Frederick  Gellman,  under  the  same  authority,  recruited  a  partially  formed 
regiment  named  the  Morgan  Rifles,  in  honor  of  the  Governor  of  the  State. 

The  Morgan  Rifles  was  formed  largely  by  consolidating  with  it  three  other 
bodies  of  recruits,  known  respectively  as  the  Polish  Legion,  the  Gallatin  Rifles 
and  the  Humboldt  Yaegers.  The  Fifty-eighth  New  York  Infantry  was  formed 
October  19,  1861,  by  the  consolidation  of  the  United  States  Rifles  and  Morgan 
Rifles,  the  former  furnishing  four  companies  and  the  latter  six  to  complete  the 
.ninimum  regimental  number  of  companies  and  men.  Krzyzanowski  was 
commissioned  colonel,  and  Gellman  lieutenant  colonel.  The  men  who  com 
posed  the  regiment  had  been  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  at  New 
York  city  on  various  dates  between  August  27  and  November  5,  1861.  The 
regiment  left  the  State  November  7,  1861,  and  proceeded  to  Washington  where 
it  was  assigned  to  Bohlen's  Brigade  of  Blenker's  Division,  a  division  containing 
three  brigades,  whose  regiments  were  composed  almost  wholly  of  men  of 
foreign  birth. 

Leaving  Washington  on  the  13th  it  crossed  the  Potomac,  and  entering 
Virginia  marched  to  Hunter's  Chapel,  where  it  joined  the  division.  It  re 
mained  encamped  here  during  the  ensuing  winter,  excepting  one  month  in 
December  and  January,  when  it  was  placed  on  picket  duty  at  Annandale  Church. 

On  March  18,  1862,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  broke  camp,  and  with  it 
Blenker's  Division.  The  regiment  entered  on  a  series  of  fatiguing  marches 
in  bitterly  inclement  weather  which  lasted  thirty-eight  days,  during  which  the 
men  suffered  severely  for  lack  of  tents  and  rations.  Leaving  Hunter's  Chapel 
the  division  marched  to  Burke's  Station,  Fairfax  Court  House,  Manassas  Junc 
tion,  Warrenton,  Salem,  Paris,  Millwood  and  Winchester,  arriving  at  the 
latter  place  on  April  20,  1862.  After  resting  for  two  weeks  at  Winchester, 
the  division  started,  on  May  2d,  under  command  of  General  Rosecrans,  and 
after  crossing  the  mountains  marched  into  West  Virginia  by  way  of  Romney, 
and  joined  General  Fremont's  army.  On  May  24,  1862,  Fremont  started  for 
she  Shenandoah  Valley  in  pursuit  of  General  Jackson's  Confederate  forces. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  429 

The  first  experience  of  the  Fifty-eighth  under  fire  occurred  at  the  Battle  of 
Cross  Keys,  Va.,  an  engagement  in  which  General  Fremont's  army  encoun 
tered  a  Confederate  corps  under  command  of  "  Stonewall "  Jackson.  In  this 
battle  the  regiment,  under  Colonel  Krzyanowski,  made  a  bayonet  charge  in 
which  the  enemy's  line  was  driven  back  about  one  hundred  yards,  their  gal 
lantry  on  this  their  first  battlefield  eliciting  words  of  praise  from  General 
Bohlen  in  his  official  report.  The  report  of  Captain  Schirmer,  of  the  light 
artillery,  speaks  also  of  the  "  great  gallantry  "  with  which  the  regiment  sup 
ported  his  guns  during  one  period  of  the  battle.  The  loss  of  the  Fifty-eighth 
at  Cross  Keys  was,  7  killed,  18  wotmded,  and  4  missing;  total,  29.  The  Union 
forces  after  pursuing  Jackson  to  Port  Republic  went  down  the  Shenandoah 
Valley  to  Middletown,  where  Gen.  Franz  Sigel  relieved  Fremont  of  the  com 
mand.  A  reorganization  of  the  corps  followed,  upon  which  the  Fifty-eighth 
was  assigned  to  the  Second  Brigade  of  Schurz's  (First)  Division,  and  Colonel 
Krzyzanowski  was  placed  in  command  of  the  brigade. 

Sigel's  forces,  which  had  been  designated  the  First  Corps,  Army  of 
Virginia,  left  Middletown  on  July  8th,  and  marched  via  Front  Royal  and 
Luray  to  Sperryville,  where  they  encamped  until  the  8th  of  August,  1862,  when 
they  marched  to  the  assistance  of  Banks's  Corps,  which  had  encountered  the 
ubiquitous  Jackson  in  the  bloody  battle  of  Cedar  Mountain. 

Sigel's  Corps  formed  a  part  of  General  Pope's  army,  and  with  it  the  Fifty- 
eighth  participated  in  the  actions  of  Freeman's  Ford,  August  22d;  Sulphur 
Springs,  August  23d;  and  Waterloo  Bridge,  August  24th.  Under  command 
of  Maj.  William  Henkel  the  regiment  was  actively  engaged  in  the  Second  Battle 
of  Manassas,  August  29-30^,  in  which  it  sustained  a  loss  of  14  killed,  32 
wounded  (including  those  mortally  so),  and  n  missing;  total,  57.  Major  Henkel 
was  severely  wounded,  but  remained  on  the  field  for  three  hours  after  he  was  hit. 
The  command  of  the  regiment  devolved  then  on  Capt.  Frederick  Braun. 

After  the  Manassas  campaign  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  marched  through 
Maryland  on  its  way  to  Antietam,  leaving  the  Third  Corps  and  Sigel's  Corps  — 
now  the  Eleventh  —  in  the  defences  of  Washington.  The  Eleventh  Corps  — 
Sigel's  —  remained  encamped  near  Fairfax  and  Centreville,  Va.,  until  the  bat 
tle  of  Fredericksburg,  December  13,  1862,  when  it  marched  to  Falmouth  ?.:nl 
back  to  Stafford  Court  House,  where  it  went  into  winter  quarters.  In  the 
meantime  Colonel  Gellman  and  Major  Henkel  resigned  their  commissions  and 
left  the  regiment. 

The  Fifty-eighth,  under  command  of  Captain  Braun,  broke  camp  at  Stafford 
Court  House,  April  29,  1863,  and  marched  to  Chancellorsville,  where  it  was 
engaged  in  that  disastrous  battle.  On  the  evening  of  May  2d,  when  Jackson 
made  his  famous  attack  on  the  Eleventh  Corps,  he  found  that  corps  in  no 
position  to  repel  a  flank  attack,  although  repeated  warnings  of  the  impending 
danger  had  been  transmitted  from  the  Union  pickets  to  Eleventh  Corps  head 
quarters.  When  the  Confederates  struck  the  right  of  the  Eleventh  Corps, 
about  5:15  p.  m.,  they  encountered  enough  resistance  from  Devens'  Division 
to  check  their  swift  advance  long  enough  for  Schurz's  Division  to  change  front 
and  meet  them.  Schurz's  regiments  held  the  ground  for  a  half  hour  or  more, 
and  then  finding  that  the  enemy  overlapped  their  line  on  either  flank  fell  back, 


430  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

stopping1  from  time  to  time  to  deliver  their  fire.  The  Fifty-eighth  New  York 
shared  in  this  fighting,  during  which  the  gallant  Captain  Braun,  who  was  in 
command,  was  shot  and  fell  from  his  horse  mortally  wounded.  Capt.  Emil 
Koenig  then  assumed  command.  In  this  fighting,  on  the  evening  of  May 
2d,  the  regiment  lost  31  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  out  of  238  officers 
and  men  engaged.  The  regiment  was  not  engaged  during  the  succeeding 
days  of  the  battle,  after  which  it  recrossed  the  Rappahannock  with  the  army, 
and,  marching  in  a  rain  storm,  accompanied  the  Eleventh  Corps  back  to  its 
abandoned  camps  at  Stafford,  which  were  speedily  reoccupied  by  the  wet, 
tired  and  defeated  troops. 

Defeated,  but  not  discouraged,  a  month  later  the  men  left  their  camps  and 
started  northward  on  the  Gettysburg  march  as  bravely  and  cheerily  as  if  it 
were  their  first  campaign.  Leaving  Stafford  on  June  I2th,  the  regiment,  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Otto,  marched  that  day  to  Hartwood  Church ; 
thence  to  Centreville,  after  a  long,  hard  day's  march;  thence  to  Goose  Creek, 
where  it  encamped  a  week;  the  Potomac  was  crossed  at  Edwards  Ferry  on 
the  25th,  the  column  arriving  at  Jefferson,  Md.,  late  that  night;  next  day,  to 
Middletown,  where  a  two  clays'  rest  was  had:  and  thence  to  Emmitsburg,  Md., 
where  the  Eleventh  Corps,  under  command  of  General  Howard,  was  resting 
on  the  morning  of  July  i,  1863,  the  day  on  which  the  battle  opened  at  Gettys 
burg.  At  this  time  the  Fifty-eighth  numbered  n  officers  and  211  enlisted  men, 
"  present  for  duty  equipped,"  as  shown  by  the  returns  of  the  muster  made  the 
previous  day. 

During  the  night  of  June  3oth  —  the  night  before  the  First  Day's  Battle  — 
Capt.  Emil  Koenig  was  ordered  to  take  100  men  of  the  regiment,  and  make 
a  reconnoissance  in  the  direction  of  Creagerstown,  where,  as  it  was  said,  some 
of  the  enemy's  cavalry  had  been  seen.  After  marching  about  five  miles,  and 
not  seeing  any  signs  of  the  enemy,  Captain  Koenig  halted  his  command  and 
gave  his  men  an  opportunity  for  rest  and  sleep.  But  he  soon  received  a 
despatch  ordering  him  to  return  with  his  detachment  immediately,  as  the  corps 
had  already  started  on  a  march  to  Gettysburg. 

It  was  9  a.  m.  on  July  ist,  when  Koenig  and  his  men,  returning  to  Emmits 
burg,  arrived  at  the  abandoned  camping  ground  of  the  regiment.  Here  he 
was  joined  by  a  squad  of  men  belonging  to  the  Fifty-eighth  who  had  been  on 
picket  during  the  night.  With  this  picket  detail  and  the  100  men  already 
mentioned,  Captain  Koenig  had  more  than  half  of  the  regiment  with  him. 
He  started  promptly  to  overtake  the  corps,  pushing  on  with  all  possible  speed, 
but  was  unable  to  do  so,  as  he  was  ordered  to  march  with  the  wagon  train. 
A  passing  shower  of  rain  drenched  the  men  and  damaged  the  roads;  but 
although  the  water  came  down  in  torrents  the  shower  did  not  extend  to 
Gettysburg.  About  four  miles  from  the  town  heavy  cannonading  was  heard, 
and  the  men,  leaving  the  train,  pressed  forward  at  a  fast  pace,  arriving  at 
Gettysburg  about  3:30  p.  m.  After  some  delay  in' finding  the  corps,  the 
detachment  rejoined  the  regiment  and  brigade  on  Cemetery  Hill.  In  the 
meantime  the  remainder  of  the  regiment,  composed  of  two  companies,  were 
engaged  in  the  :  \ttle  of  the  First  Day  on  the  north  side  of  the  town,  and 
had  fallen  back  through  the  streets  to  Cemetery  Hill,  with  the  rest  of  the 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  431 

army.  In  the  evening  Lieutenant  Colonel  Otto  was  detailed  by  General 
Schurz,  the  division  commander,  to  act  as  his  chief  of  staff,  leaving  the 
regiment  under  the  command  of  Captain  Koenig. 

During  the  battle  of  the  Second  Day,  the  Fifty-eighth  lay  in  support  of 
the  artillery  on  Cemetery  Hill,  which  in  the  afternoon  was  heavily  engaged 
with  the  Confederate  batteries  on  Benner's  Hill.  A  perfect  storm  of  cannon 
projectiles  was  hurled  against  the  position  of  the  Eleventh  Corps,  the  exploding 
fragments  dealing  death  and  wounds  throughout  the  ranks  of  every  regiment. 
Adjt.  Louis  Dietrich  was  struck  by  one  of  these  missiles  and  killed,  while 
several  others  in  the  regiment  were  killed  or  wounded  during  this  artillery 
fire.  Among  the  mortally  wounded  were  Capts.  Edward  Antonieski  and 
Gustave  Stoldt. 

At  dusk  Hays's  Louisiana  Brigade  and  Hoke's  North  Carolina  Brigade  as 
saulted  the  Union  position  on  East  Cemetery  Hill,  and  attaining  a  temporary 
success  charged  up  the  slope  and  through  the  line  of  cannon  in  Wiedrich's 
Battery,  driving  the  gunners  from  their  pieces.  Led  by  General  Schurz  in 
person  the  Fifty-eighth  and  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  New  York  hastened 
to  the  rescue  of  the  artillery,  but  the  assailants  were  repulsed  without  their 
assistance.  As  another  attack  was  momentarily  expected,  the  Fifty-eighth 
was  ordered  to  remain,  one  of  its  companies,  under  Lieutenant  Schwartz,  be 
ing  sent  out  as  skirmishers  to  ascertain  the  direction  in  which  the  enemy 
had  retired. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d  the  regiment  moved  to  the  right  of  the  road 
leading  into  Gettysburg  (Baltimore  Pike),  and  took  a  position  behind  a  stone 
fence  on  the  left  of  Wiedrich's  Battery.  Lieutenant  Schwartz  with  one  com 
pany  was  sent  forward  to  take  possession  of  the  houses  on  the  outskirts  of 
the  town.  He  did  so,  and  during  the  day  the  Confederate  sharpshooters  kept 
up  a  continuous  fare  on  these  houses,  during  which  Miss  Jennie  Wade,  who 
remained  in  her  house,  was  killed  while  busily  engaged  in  baking  bread  for  the 
Union  soldiers  close  by. 

The  enemy  having  evacuated  the  town  during  the  night  of  July  3d,  Schwartz 
sent  out  ten  of  his  men  as  a  patrol  to  gain  information.  The  citizens  by 
quiet  signs  indicated  the  houses  in  which  some  of  the  enemy  might  be  found, 
and  on  entering  them  several  Confederate  sharpshooters  were  found  asleep, 
and  captured  together  with  some  men  who  were  awake.  The  Confederate 
officers  in  withdrawing  their  troops  had  neglected  to  notify  these  sharpshooters. 
Shortly  after,  Lieutenant  Lauber  with  twenty  men  was  sent  into  the  town, 
and  these  two  squads  returned  with  about  200  prisoners. 

The  regiment  joined  in  the  pursuit  of  General  Lee's  defeated  army,  and 
recrossing  the  Potomac  on  the  I9th  returned  to  Virginia  and  the  scenes  of 
its  former  campaigns. 

In  September,  1863,  the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Corps  were  ordered  to 
Tennessee  to  the  assistance  of  General  Rosecrans'  army,  which  was  shut  up  in 
Chattanooga.  The  long  journey  was  made  by  rail,  the  troops  taking  the 
cars  in  Virginia,  and  passing  through  Washington,  Maryland,  West  Virginia, 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  Colonel  Krzyzanowski  still  retained 
Command  of  the  brigade,  while  the  regiment  was  commanded  by  Capt. 


432 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


Michael  Esembaux.  While  encamped  near  Chattanooga,  about  200  of  the 
original  members  re-enlisted  for  the  war,  and  receiving  the  customary  veteran's 
furlough  of  sixty  days,  returned  in  a  body  to  New  York  City,  January  26, 
1864,  where  they  received  a  grand  reception  and  ovation  from  the  mayor,  city 
officials,  and  the  German  citizens. 

Prior  to  this  furlough  the  regiment,  under  command  of  Captain  Esembaux, 
was  present  at  the  midnight  battle  of  Wauhatchie,  Tenn.,  on  October  28, 
1863,  and  at  the  storming  of  Missionary  Ridge,  November  23,  1863,,  although 
suffering  but  slight  loss. 

During  the  years  1864  and  1865,  the  regiment  was  stationed  at  Bridgeport. 
Tenn.,  and  along  the  Nashville  &  Chattanooga  Railroad,  on  garrison  duty  and 
in  guarding  the  railroad  communications  of  the  army.  The  Eleventh  Corps, 
having  been  merged  in  the  newly-formed  Twentieth  Corps,  in  April,  1864, 
Colonel  Krzyzanowski  was  left  without  a  brigade,  and  returned  to  the  com 
mand  of  his  regiment.  In  September,  1865,  the  war  having  ended,  the  Fifty- 
eighth  New  York  proceeded  to  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where  it  was  paid  off  and 
discharged,  October  i,  1865. 


J.  B.    LYOX   1'Kl.vr. 


F.    J.    SBVKRENCK,  PHOTO. 


59TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 
On  Cemetery  Ridge.    The  Codori  House,  on  the  Emmitsburg  Pike,  in  the  distance. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


433 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 

59TH 

NEW  YORK 

INFANTRY, 

3D  BRIG.  2o  DIV. 

2o  CORPS. 

(Reverse.} 

FOUR  COMPANIES 

OF  THIS  REGIMENT 

HELD  THIS  POSITION 

JULY  2  AND  3,  1863, 

WHERE  MAX.  A.  THOMAN, 

LIEUT.  COLONEL  IN  COMMAND, 

FELL  MORTALLY  WOUNDED. 

CASUALTIES; 
KILLED  6,  WOUNDED  28. 


(Left  Side.) 

MUSTERED  IN 
JULY  4,  1861. 
PARTICIPATED  IN 
23  ENGAGEMENTS. 
MUSTERED  OUT  JUNE  30,  1865. 
28 


(Right  Side.) 

COMMANDERS: 
W.  L.  TIDBALL, 
M.  A.  THOMAN, 
H.  P.  RUGG, 
W.  A.  OLMSTED. 


434  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT. 
59TH  REGIMENT  INFANTRY. 

July  3,   1889. 

ADDRESS  BY  SERGT.  RUFUS  BELL,  PRESIDENT  59x11  N.  Y.  V.  VETERAN 

ASSOCIATION. 
COMRADES  AND  FRIENDS: 

Twenty-six  years  ago,  to-day,  we  stood  on  this  field  in  a  very  different 
attitude  from  that  which  we  now  assume,  and  with  a  widely  different  purpose 
in  view  from  that  which  brings  us  here  on  this  occasion.  We  were  then  here 
to  assist  in  the  defeat  and  overthrow  of  those  who  were  engaged  in  an  attempt 
to  dismember  and  destroy  our  country.  We  are  here  to-day  to  honor  the 
memory  of  our  comrades,  thirty-four  of  whom  fell  on  this  spot.  This  mass  of 
granite  will  tell  their  story  to  future  generations. 

I  now  take  pleasure  in  introducing  the  orator  of  the  day,  Col.  William  Linn 
Tidball,  by  whom  our  regiment  was  organized,  and  by  whom  it  was  first 
commanded. 


ORATION  BY  COL.  WILLIAM  LINN  TIDBALL. 

COMRADES,  LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

It  is  with  mingled  emotions  of  pleasure  and  pain  that  we  meet  together  on 
this  occasion  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  There  is 
great  gladness  in  our  hearts  as  we  clasp  the  hands  of  old  comrades  with  whom 
we  shared  the  privations  and  perils  of  war.  But  there  is  also  deep  sorrow  as 
we  glance  along  the  line  of  wrinkled  visages,  and  note  the  many  vacant  places 
once  occupied  by  our  chivalrous  companions.  But  the  sting  of  our  grief  is 
lessened  by  the  reflection  that  they  died  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty, 
and  for  the  glory  of  their  country. 

In  most  respects  the  story  of  our  regiment  does  not  differ  from  that  of 
other  volunteer  organizations.  There  was  first  the  fever  of  patriotism,  and 
the  desire  to  do  something  useful  for  our  country.  There  was  next  the  un 
certainty  of  our  duties,  and  distracting  doubts  as  to  their  proper  performance. 
And  then  there  was  the  mistaken  notion,  which  especially  prevailed  among 
those  of  patriotic  impulses,  that  the  first  to  reach  the  front  and  face  the 
enemy  would  be  entitled  to  the  highest  consideration. 

This  mistaken  notion  with  which  every  volunteer  organization  was  more 
or  less  affected  at  the  outset  of  its  career,  manifested  itself  almost  offensively 
on  more  than  one  occasion  in  the  history  of  our  regiment.  The  spirit  of 
unrest  was  prevalent  in  our  organization  even  befoje  its  satisfactory  com 
pletion.  And  when  at  length  the  order  came  to  march,  there  was  cheerfulness 
in  every  countenance,  alacrity  in  every  motion,  and  joy  unspeakable  in  every 
heart. 

For  a  time  the  novelty  of  camp-life  and  the  attractions  of  the  Federal  City 
were  quite  enough  to  satisfy  an  ordinary  curiosity.  The  construction  of  Fort 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  435 

Baker  and  other  portions  of  the  vast  line  of  fortifications  surrounding  the 
city  supplied  us  with  ample  and  satisfactory  employment.  And  later  on  the 
occupancy  of  the  Northern  Defences,  from  Fort  De  Russy  to  Chain  Bridge, 
with  daily  drill  in  the  tactics  of  heavy  artillery,  afforded  us  a  new  sensation, 
and  diverted  our  minds  into  a  new  channel  of  usefulness. 

In  this  wise  we  spent  the  first  months  of  our  service,  with  as  much  content 
and  usefulness  as  was  consistent  with  our  situation.  But  the  beauties  of  the 
Capital  and  the  attractions  of  the  surrounding  country,  though  unique  and 
unexcelled,  in  time  became  familiar  and  palled  upon  the  appetite.  The  con 
struction  of  field-works,  the  occupancy  of  forts  and  batteries,  and  the  drill 
and  tactics  of  heavy  artillery,  at  length  grew  monotonous  and  wearisome.  And 
notwithstanding  our  duties  were  constant  and  important,  they  were  not  suffi 
cient  to  satisfy  our  conscientious  scruples,  much  less  to  gratify  our  ambitious 
aspirations. 

There  was  a  reason  for  our  discontent  which,  though  not  entirely  justified, 
cannot  be  altogether  condemned.  The  mistaken  idea  that  where  the  greatest 
danger  is  there  is  also  the  highest  duty,  was  still  prevalent  in  our  midst.  No 
one  seemed  to  be  conscious  of  the  fact  that  his  foremost  duty  was  that  to 
which  he  was  assigned  by  authority.  The  duties  of  a  soldier  are  many  in 
number  and  varied  in  character,  and  one,  however  humble,  is  as  binding  as 
another,  however  exalted.  But  when  the  battle  rages  no  valiant  man-at-arms 
prefers  to  stand  guard  at  the  door  of  a  hospital  or  over  the  stores  of  a 
commissary;  and  though  he  may  faithfully  discharge  the  duty  to  which  he 
is  assigned,  he  will  ever  regret  the  opportunity  of  which  he  was  deprived. 

There  was  another  reason  for  our  discontent  which,  though  based  upon  a 
misconception,  exercised  an  influence  that  was  uncontrollable.  New  regiments 
from  the  North  and  East  arrived  at  the  seat  of  government,  passed  into 
Virginia  over  the  Long  Bridge,  and  disappeared  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy. 
It  was  not  then  understood,  at  least  by  those  who  thought  themselves  most 
deeply  interested,  that  our  regiment,  drilled  in  the  tactics  of  infantry  and 
artillery,  was  accounted  a  most  valuable  auxiliary  in  the  defence  of  the 
Capital.  An  erroneous  report  got  into  circulation,  to  the  effect  that  our  regi 
ment  was  kept  back  by  undue  influence,  or  that  other  regiments  were  ad 
vanced  by  unwarranted  favoritism;  and  daily  thereafter  every  spirited  soldier, 
as  at  reveille  he  left  his  bunk  or  his  blanket,  turned  his  eyes  longingly  towards 
the  country  south  of  the  Potomac. 

I  remember  well  when  the  call  was  made  for  troops  from  Washington  to 
support  our  army  on  the  banks  of  the  Chickahominy,  against  the  overwhelm 
ing  force  and  irresistible  attack  of  the  enemy.  News  of  the  onslaught  fell 
upon  the  city  with  the  suddenness  of  a  thunderclap,  and  the  force  of  an 
avalanche.  The  people  were  startled  from  their  sense  of  security,  and  over 
whelmed  with  the  dread  of  a  great  calamity.  It  was  noticeable,  however,  that 
in  the  midst  of  the  fear  and  confusion  which  prevailed  among  the  citizens, 
the  soldiers  were  cool,  collected,  and  confident.  In  our  regiment  the  old 
spirit  of  unrest  manifested  itself  anew,  and  nearly  every  enlisted  man  in  the 
enjoyment  of  health  was  eager  to  join  in  the  sanguinary  struggle  for  supremacy. 
A  majority  of  the  officers  were  equally  anxious,  and,  at  a  meeting  held  to 


436  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

consider  their  duty  under  the  circumstances,  expressed  a  desire  that  our  regi 
ment  might  be  included  in  any  troops  designated  for  the  relief  of  our  army. 
And  when  it  was  known  that  the  order  of  deliverance  had  been  so  changed  as 
to  include  our  regiment,  the  joy  of  all  hearts  burst  forth  afresh  and  the  air 
was  filled  with  vigorous  and  long-continued  acclamations. 

When  I  look  back  to  that  event  and  recall  the  joyfulness  of  that  occasion, 
I  am  irresistibly  influenced  by  emotions  of  the  highest  admiration.  There 
was  not,  at  that  time,  in  the  whole  service  of  our  country,  a  volunteer  regiment 
more  highly  favored  than  our  own  in  ail  that  constitutes  the  ease,  comfort  and 
safety  of  soldiers  in  time  of  war.  Our  duties,  after  the  completion  of  the 
fortifications,  were  never  arduous  or  unpleasant,  our  liberties  were  never  un 
reasonably  restrained,  and  our  enjoyments  were  never  unjustifiably  circum 
scribed.  We  were  quartered  in  the  Northern  Defences  of  the  city,  drilled  in 
the  use  and  management  of  great  guns,  and  confident  of  our  ability  to  resist 
any  attack  of  the  enemy.  We  had  been  promised  a  change  of  service,  and 
a  continued  residence  in  the  forts  and  batteries  which  we  then  occupied.  And 
above  all,  we  were  not  included  in  the  first  order  issued  for  the  relief  of  our 
suffering  army,  and  so  were  under  no  special  obligations. 

But  in  utter  disregard  of  all  these  substantial  advantages,  not  only  present 
but  promised  and  prospective,  a  very  large  majority  of  our  regiment  preferred 
the  dangers  of  the  battlefield.  Indeed,  they  seemed  to  think  that,  in  being 
kept  in  the  defences  of  Washington,  they  were  grossly  ill-treated,  and  unjustly 
deprived  of  an  opportunity  to  strike  a  blow  in  defence  of  their  country. 

Untried  soldiers  are  never  quite  satisfied  with  the  ease  and  comfort  of  a 
camp  in  safety,  when  there  is  an  enemy  and  danger  to  be  found  in  any  other 
quarter.  A  little  sensible  reflection  would  enable  them  to  see  how  impossible 
it  is  to  face  a  courageous  enemy,  and  not  be  in  danger  of  death.  But  if  they 
ever  give  the  subject  a  thought,  it  is  coupled  with  the  hope  that,  whoever 
else  may  suffer,  they  will  escape.  They  never  anticipate  the  danger  to  which 
they  are  exposed,  but  only  the  glory  which  attaches  to  valor  and  to  victory. 

It  is  seldom  that  a  civilian  has  any  just  conception  of  the  duties  and  dangers 
incident  to  the  life  of  a  soldier.  Even  the  soldier  himself  is  unable  to  realize 
the  requirements  of  the  service  in  time  of  war,  until  he  has  grown  familiar 
with  them  by  actual  experience.  But  of  one  thing  he  is  well  assured  after 
the  first  battle  in  which  he  is  engaged,  that  there  is  no  certain  escape  from 
the  consequences  of  a  deadly  conflict.  Where  bullets  and  bayonets  are  used, 
a  loss  of  life  and  limb  ensue,  and  sometimes  of  liberty. 

No  soldiers  in  the  service  realized  these  truths  more  fully  than  those  of  our 
regiment.  From  the  ease  and  comfort  of  garrison  duty,  we  went  directly  to 
the  front  and  engaged  in  all  the  stern  realities  of  cruel  combat;  and  from  that 
clay  to  the  end  of  the  war,  we  knew  nothing  but  duty  and  danger  and  depriva 
tion.  There  was  the  march  and  the  counter-march,- and  camp-guard  and  the 
picket-watch,  the  bivouac  and  the  battle,  in  all  of  which  we  participated.  And 
I  regret  to  add  that,  during  our  long  service,  we  supplied  more  than  our  relative 
proportion  to  the  hospitals,  the  rebel  prisons,  and  the  battle  cemeteries. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  other  regiment  in  the  service  of  our  country  under 
went  greater  or  more  frequent  vicissitudes.  Besides  those  of  drill  and  duty 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  437 

already  mentioned,  we  experienced  nearly  every  honorable  change  to  which 
a  regiment  could  be  subjected.  We  entered  the  army  with  more  than  a 
thousand  as  good  men  as  ever  stepped  to  martial  music.  Our  losses  by 
disease  and  discharge  were  very  great,  and  by  death  in  battle  almost  unpre 
cedented.  When  our  numbers  fell  below  the  minimum,  vacancies  for  a  while 
were  rilled  with  recruits  and  conscripts.  But  the  greed  of  war  was  greater 
then  our  resources,  and  in  time,  though  the  demand  continued,  the  supply 
utterly  failed.  After  that  the  vacancies  remained,  the  ranks  closed  up, 
and  the  companies  dwindled  well-nigh  to  platoons.  When  so  diminished 
as  to  render  consolidation  necessary,  our  regiment  was  reduced  to  a 
battalion.  At  the  end  of  three  years,  the  term  for  which  we  were  mustered 
into  service,  the  able-bodied  survivors  of  our  organization  volunteered  anew, 
this  time  for  the  period  of  the  war  whatever  its  duration.  Subsequently  our 
battalion  was  augmented  by  the  addition  of  the  Forty-second  New  York  Volun 
teers  and  the  Eighty-second  New  York  Volunteers,  and  it  was  then  raised 
again  to  the  position  and  importance  of  a  regiment.  And  this  was  the 
"  Last  scene  of  all,  that  ends  this  strange,  eventful  history." 

As  a  regiment  we  served  to  the  end, —  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox  — 
the  disbandment  of  the  army  of  volunteers.  It  would  not  be  just  to  the  truth 
of  history,  or  consonant  with  our  present  emotions,  if  I  failed  to  here  allude  to 
the  many  battles  in  which  our  regiment  was  engaged.  According  to  the 
official  report  of  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  State  of  New  York,  we  partici 
pated  in  no  less  than  three-and-twenty  general  engagements,  to  say  nothing 
of  skirmishes  and  chance  encounters.  How  much  damage  we  inflicted  on 
these  several  occasions  is  not  known,  and  is  not  knowable.  And  it  is  better 
so,  as  such  knowledge  would  be  worthless  for  any  purpose  other  than  personal 
gratification ;  and  now  that  the  war  is  over  and  the  country  saved,  it  would  not 
afford  us  even  a  pleasurable  emotion.  It  is  enough  to  know  that  — 

"  Who  does  the  best  his  circumstance  allows, 
Does  well,  acts  nobly;  angels  could  no  more." 

But  I  venture  to  say  that,  from  first  to  last,  few  regiments  suffered  more 
at  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  In  the  Battle  of  Antietam  alone,  according  to 
the  official  accounts,  we  sustained  a  loss  of  48  killed,  153  wounded,  and  23 
captured;  in  all,  224  men.  Our  reported  loss  of  officers,  3  killed,  and  10 
wounded,  was  only  equaled  by  the  reported  loss  of  one  other  regiment;  but 
of  our  wounded,  7  were  fatally  injured,  so  that  our  loss  of  officers  by  death 
was  actually  greater  than  that  of  any  other  regiment  in  that  battle. 

A  fact  well  worth  our  notice  and  remembrance,  and  withal  somewhat  re 
markable  as  a  concfdence,  is  to  be  found  by  a  comparison  of  the  figures  con 
tained  in  the  official  report  of  that  battle.  The  Second  Army  Corps,  in  which 
we  served,  suffered  a  greater  loss  than  was  sustained  by  any  corps  in  that 
engagement.  The  Second  Division  of  that  corps,  in  which  we  served,  suffered 
a  greater  loss  than  was  sustained  by  any  other  division  in  that  corps.  The 
Third  Brigade  of  that  division,  in  which  we  served,  suffered  a  greater  loss 
than  was  sustained  by  any  other  brigade  in  that  division.  And,  to  cap  the 


438  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

climax,  our  regiment  suffered  a  greater  loss  than  was  sustained  by  any  other 
regiment  in  that  brigade. 

Before  the  great  Southern  Rebellion,  the  gallant  charge  of  the  Light  Brigade 
at  Balaklava  was  renowned  in  song  and  story  as  the  most  brilliant  exploit  in 
history,  and  the  loss  on  that  occasion  as  the  most  murderous  ever  sustained 
in  battle  by  a  single  organization.  But  that  event,  however  remarkable,  how 
ever  transcendent,  is  no  longer  entitled  to  pre-eminence,  as  in  our  war  very 
many  regiments  suffered  greater  loss  in  single  engagements,  and  instead  of 
resting  afterwards,  as  did  the  Light  Brigade,  continued  to  fight  to  the  close 
of  the  war.  For  example,  our  own  regiment  which,  in  the  battle  above  men 
tioned,  lost  more  by  death,  according  to  the  number  of  men  engaged,  as 
18  to  16  per  cent.,  and  by  wounds  a  much  greater  number;  and,  yet,  afterwards 
fought  in  no  less  than  twelve  general  engagements,  including  the  very  last 
battle  of  the  war. 

In  the  quarter  of  a  century  which  has  elapsed  since  the  close  of  the  war, 
Death  has  been  busy  among  those  who  survived  the  hospital  and  the  battle 
field.  The  very  sick  and  the  badly  wounded,  with  few  exceptions,  have  long 
since  gone  to  swell  the  great  majority.  Of  the  many  hundreds  who  once 
answered  a  roll-call,  barely  one-fifth  are  alive  at  this  day,  and  less  than  one- 
twentieth  are  present  on  this  occasion.  Of  the  survivors,  a  few  are  enrolled 
in  the  list  of  pensioners,  and  a  few  others,  unable  to  make  the  difficult  proof 
required  by  the  Pension  Bureau,  are  suffering  what  they  feel  to  be  the  dishonor 
of  dependence,  or  know  to  be  pinching  pangs  of  poverty. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  our  Government  has  been  illiberal  in  the  award  of 
pensions.  But  it  is  well  known  that  our  pension  laws,  strictly  construed  as 
is  the  custom,  do  not  reach  every  case  worthy  of  consideration.  There  are 
instances  in  \vhich  the  exact  proof  required  cannot  be  produced,  owing  to  the 
death  of  the  only  witnesses  to  whom  the  facts  were  known.  Would  it  not 
be  humane,  in  cases  of  this  character,  all  other  essential  facts  having  been 
proved,  to  so  modify  the  pension  laws,  or  the  rules  of  the  Pension  Bureau,  as 
to  include  these  meritorious  exceptions? 

Of  course  there  would  be  opposition  to  any  such  increased  liberality  on  the 
part  of  the  Government.  There  is  always  in  time  of  war  a  class  of  non- 
combatants,  who  manage  by  hook  or  crook  —  by  the  desertion  of  their  homes, 
or  the  procurement  of  substitutes,  or  in  some  other  way  equally  unpatriotic  — 
to  escape  the  duty  and  the  service  which  they  owe  to  their  country.  And 
there  is  always  in  the  years  of  security  which  follow  a  war,  a  large  proportion 
of  the  population  —  not  always  the  descendants  of  the  cowardly  shirks  just 
mentioned,  though  men  of  the  same  narrow  views  and  niggardly  propensities  — 
who  envy  the  poor  old  soldier  the  pittance  which  Government  doles  out  for 
his  bare  subsistence. 

The  few  facts  here  mentioned  must  suffice  for  this -occasion.  It  might  not 
be  amiss,  perhaps,  were  I  to  add  a  few  words  of  encomium.  It  would  be 
gratifying,  for  it  is  but  natural  that  men  should  be  proud  of  their  achievements 
in  the  service  of  their  country.  But  — 

"  I  came  to  bury  Caesar,  not  to  praise  him." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  439 

The  occasion  of  this  assemblage  to-day  is  the  dedication  of  this  beautiful 
monument  erected  by  the  State  of  New  York  to  the  honer  of  the  Fifty-ninth 
New  Y'ork  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  especially  to  the  memory  of  those  who 
fell  in  the  great  battle  which  crowned  our  struggle  with  immortal  victory.  It 
is  a  most  pleasing  duty,  though  saddened  with  emotions  of  regret  and  sorrow 
for  those  who  sacrificed  their  lives  at  the  very  threshold  of  their  manly  existence. 
May  they  rest  in  peace  forever! 

It  is  almost  certain  that  this  is  the  last  time  we  shall  ever  meet  together  in 
this  wide  world.  We  are  all  now  on  the  downward  slope  of  life  —  some  of 
us  decayed,  others  of  us  decrepit,  and  all  of  us  more  or  less  diseased  and 
damaged.  It  is  not,  therefore,  within  the  range  of  human  possibility  that  we 
should  ever  again  share  together  the  melancholy  enjoyment  of  such  another 
convocation.  Some  of  us  may  meet  occasionally  as  we  totter  down  the  de 
clivity  of  existence,  possibly  on  some  other  battlefield  which  we  helped  to  win, 
but  the  great  majority  of  us,  when  we  come  to  part  this  day,  will  scarcely  fail 
to  realize  that  it  is  our  final  separation. 

May  we  all  go  hence  grateful  for  the  life  and  strength  which  have  enabled 
us  to  pay  this  last  worthy  tribute  to  the  memory  of  our  departed  comrades. 
May  we  carry  with  us  to  our  distant  homes,  pleasant  recollections  of  the  joy 
and  sorrow  of  this  memorable  occasion.  May  the  remnants  of  our  lives  be 
spent  among  friends,  with  tender  hearts  to  soothe  and  sympathize,  kind  words 
to  alleviate  and  encourage,  and  soft  hands  to  smooth  away  the  wrinkles  of 
our  affliction.  And  may  we  all 

"  So  live  that  when  our  summons  comes  to  join 
The  innumerable  caravan  which  moves 
To  that  mysterious  realm  where  each  shall  take 
His  chamber  in  the  silent  halls  of  death, 
He  may,      *     *     *      sustained  and  smoothed 
By  an  unfaltering  trust,  approach  the  grave, 
Like  one  that  wraps  the  drapery  of  his  couch 
About  him  and  lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams." 


ADDRESS  BY  CAPT.  JOSEPH  H.  STINER. 

COMRADES,  LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN: 

I  thank  God  that  I  am  spared  to  meet  with  you  here  on  this  sacred  spot 
to-day;  but,  what  sad  memories  arise  when  I  look  at  this  small  band.  When 
the  call  was  issued  by  the  lamented  Lincoln,  how  promptly  did  the  men  who 
belonged  to  our  regiment  respond. 

It  was  with  light  hearts  that  the  boys  took  up  their  march  to  the  camp  at 
East  New  York,  and  from  there  to  Washington,  to  Good  Hope,  Second  Bull 
Run,  Antietam,  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Bristoe  Station, 
Mine  Run,  Wilderness,  Spotsylvania,  Petersburg,  Strawberry  Plains,  Deep 
Bottom,  Reams'  Station  and  Boydton  Road. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

In  July,  1864,  the  remnants  of  the  Forty-second  and  Eighty-second  Regi 
ments,  New  York  Volunteers,  were  consolidated  with  the  Fifty-ninth.  Even 
then  we  were  numerically  weak. 

I  will  never  forget  the  march  of  the  boys  up  Broadway  at  the  close  of  the 
war,  with  the  tattered  battle  flags  of  the  regiment  and  the  brown  faces  of  those 
who  were  spared  by  the  God  of  battles;  and  yet  when  I  looked  and  missed 
the  old  familiar  faces  of  many  who  were  mustered  with  us,  I  felt  as  if  those 
who  were  spared  deserved  the  plaudits  of  the  American  people. 

The  regiment  participated  in  more  battles  and  engagements  than  the  ma 
jority  of  those  in  the  service.  At  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  Col.  Max  Thoman 
commanded  a  battalion  composed  of  four  companies.  The  total  number  of 
men  in  the  engagement  was  120,  of  whom  there  were  killed  and  wounded,  34 
men,  enlisted  men  and  officers. 

Can  you  ever  forget  the  words  of  poor  Thoman  who  fell  so  gallantly  at  the 
head  of  his  command  —  "  Boys,  bury  me  on  the  field."  He  never  flinched 
when  duty  called.  His  sword  was  ever  ready,  and  his  men  were  eager  to  fol 
low  their  brave  leader.  No  midnight  call  for  the  long  roll  was  needed,  for 
they  were  always  ready  for  the  march  or  the  battle. 

Look  at  these  old  tattered  flags!  They  were  the  emblems  of  our  faith  in  the 
supremacy  of  the  government  under  which  we  lived.  When  we  see  that  old 
flag  again,  we  shed  a  tear  in  memory  of  the  heroes  who  fell  and  died  in  the 
shadow  of  its  folds. 

May  the  memory  of  those  who  sleep  in  soldiers'  graves,  who'  died  on 
the  battlefield,  be  ever  with  us  a  bright  page  in  the  history  of  the  Fifty-ninth 
Regiment.  May  we,  the  survivors  of  this  regiment,  ever  remember  with 
pleasure  the  deeds  of  valor  and  brave  acts  of  those  who  participated  with 
us  in  the  great  conflict.  Let  us  who  remain  here  ever  remember  this  day; 
and  may  the  youth  of  the  land  emulate  the  bravery  and  grand  deeds  achieved 
by  those  who  helped  to  save  the  land  of  their  birth. 

Let  us  each  year  strive  to  keep  up  the  fraternal  feeling  of  comradeship. 
Let  us  who  are  here  to-day  ever  greet  with  pride  the  comrades  of  our  late 
regiment,  and  may  we  all  meet  again. 

This  grand  monument  is  dedicated  in  grateful  remembrance  of  the  deeds  of 
valor  performed  by  the  old  Fifty-ninth  Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers. 


ADDRESS  BY  LIEUT.  COL.  HORACE  P.  RUGG. 

COMRADES  AND  FRIENDS: 

I  esteem  it  the  greatest  privilege  of  my  life  to  be  enabled  to  stand  on  this 
historic  ground  at  this  time,  to  address  even  a  few  words  to  you. 

It  is  hard  to  realize  that  on  the  spot  where  stands'  this  beautiful  block  of 
granite  and  in  its  immediate  vicinity  was  enacted,  twenty-six  years  ago,  a 
scene  that  proved  to  be  the  turning  point  of  the  war.  It  was  here  that  the 
backbone  and  even  the  sinews  of  the  Rebellion  were  broken.  Had  Pickett 
succeeded  in  driving  our  forces  from  this  ridge,  the  fate  of  war  might  have 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  441 

been  different.  How  well  he  tried  is  evidenced  by  the  sight  of  yonder  stone 
erected  on  the  spot  within  our  lines  —  just  over  the  corner  of  the  coveted 
stone  wall  —  where  his  most  gallant  subordinate,  Armistead,  fell. 

All  fame  to  Grant,  all  honor  to  Sherman  and  Sheridan,  but  to  our  noble 
commander,  General  George  G.  Meade,  and  his  brave  army,  belong  the  honor 
of  this  great  victory, —  a  victory  that  turned  the  hordes  of  the  enemy  back 
to  his  native  soil  for  the  last  time. 

Our  own  regiment  —  to  whose  fallen  heroes  we  have  gathered  together 
to-day  to  dedicate  this  monument  —  performed  fully  its  own  share  in  this 
famous  action. 

Some  of  its  best  blood  was  shed  on  this  field.  Here  our  own  most  gallant 
commander,  Max  A.  Thoman,  gave  up  his  life's  blood.  The  "  Jack  of 
Diamonds,"  he  was  affectionately  called.  He  was  certainly  a  jewel  among 
diamonds.  He  was  beloved  by  all,  and  I  have  yet  to  hear  the  first  word  of 
anything  but  praise  and  admiration  for  his  bright  and  happy  disposition.  On 
other  fields  we  lost  our  Stetson,  Whitney,  Reynolds,  Wade,  Moody  and  others, 
but  none  were  ever  held  in  more  affectionate  regard  than  noble  Thoman. 

The  war  is  over  and  fast  fading  in  the  distance.  Let  us  cherish  its  memories; 
let  us  keep  our  association  as  long  as  life  lasts,  and  until  the  very  last,  when 
we,  too,  shall  be  gathered  together  in  the  army  of  that  great  silent  majority,  to 
which  this  battlefield  so  largely  contributed. 


ADDRESS  BY.  D.  A.  O'MARA,  SECRETARY, 
59TH  N.  Y.  V.,  VETERAN  ASSOCIATION. 

COMRADES  : 

More  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  passed  since  you  answered  roll-call 
on  this  historic  ridge.  Then  the  peaceful  plains  and  hills  within  our  vision 
were  the  scene  of  the  greatest  conflict  that  the  world  ever  knew.  To  us,  who 
participated  in  that  struggle,  this  place  has  a  peculiar  charm, —  and,  at  the 
calling  of  the  roll,  what  thoughts  arise  within  our  hearts.  At  this  meeting 
to-day,  some  of  us  have  grasped  the  hand  of  a  comrade  whom  we  last  saw 
as  we  touched  elbows  on  the  rush  into  Spotsylvania's  jungle,  while  others 
have  met  those  whom  it  was  thought  had  been  laid  away  years  ago  beside 
some  Virginia  stream. 

Comrades,  through  the  generosity  of  the  people  of  the  great  State  of  New 
York,  we  are  enabled  to  pay  this  tribute  to  the  men  of  our  State  who  were 
actors  in  the  great  struggle  that  took  place  here  on  the  ist,  2d  and  3d  days 
of  July,  1863.  We  are  indebted  to  our  respected  comrade  General  Daniel  E. 
Sickles,  and  to  other  influential  soldiers  and  citizens,  through  whose  instru 
mentality  our  State  was  brought  to  recognize  in  a  fitting  way  the  services 
rendered  by  her  loyal  sons  on  this  historic  field. 


442  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG* 


(INSCRIPTIONS.) 


(Front.) 
60TH   NEW  YORK 

INFANTRY, 

3D  BRIG.    2D  DIV. 

12TH  CORPS. 

(Reverse.) 
JULY  2  AND  3, 

1863. 

CASUALTIES. 

KILLED  n,  WOUNDED  41. 
PRINCIPAL  ENGAGEMENTS, 

ANTIETAM, 
CHANCELLORSVILLE, 

GETTYSBURG, 

LOOKOUT  MOUNTAIN, 

RINGGOLD, 

ATLANTA. 


F.   J.    SEVERENCE,   PHOTO. 


60TH    NEW    YORK    INFANTRY. 

Near  Summit  of  Gulp's  Hill.    Left  of  Greene's  Brigade. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  443 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENTS. 

GREENE'S  NEW  YORK  BRIGADE 
60TH,  78TH,  102D,  137TH  AND  149xn  REGIMENTS  INFANTRY. 

July  2,   1888. 

INVOCATION  BY  CHAPLAIN  ARVINE  C.  BOWDISH,  149TH  N.  Y.  VOLS. 

Almighty  God,  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  recognize  Thee  as  our 
Creator,  as  our  Preserver,  and  as  our  constant  Benefactor.  We  worship  Thee; 
we  magnify  Thee;  we  praise  Thee  for  Thy  goodness  and  mercy  to  the  children 
of  men.  Hear  Thou,  in  heaven  Thy  dwelling-place,  our  supplications  at  this 
solemn  hour,  and  grant  us  Thy  blessing.  We  are  assembled  on  this  memor 
able  spot  to  dedicate  these  monuments  to  the  memory  of  the  brave  men  who, 
a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  fell  in  these  rifle-pits  in  defence  of  their  country's 
honor  and  for  their  country's  safety.  We  call  to  mind  their  noble  deeds,  their 
supreme  devotion,  and  their  God-like  patience  in  the  camps  and  on  the 
march,  and  in  the  hot  battle.  We  tenderly  cherish  their  memory,  and  with 
grateful  hearts  we  gather  on  this  hallowed  spot  to  commemorate  their 
heroism.  We  thank  Thee  for  this  land ;  we  thank  Thee  for  our  National  pros 
perity  and  renown;  we  thank  Thee  for  our  privileges  and  for  our  American 
institutions;  and  may  wre  always  keep  in  mind  that  America's  altar  and 
America's  statute-book  will  ever  be  the  true  and  enduring  sources  of  America's 
prosperity.  Our  prayer  to  Thee  is,  not  so  much  for  a  state  of  harmony  between 
capital  and  labor,  though  this  is  greatly  to  be  desired;  not  so  much  that  panic 
and  distress  shall  show  their  ugly  heads  no  more,  though  these  things  would 
make  us,  as  a  people,  better  every  way;  not  so  much  that  peace,  and  honor, 
and  happiness  shall  evermore  be  the  heritage  of  this  great  Nation,  though  these 
blessings  would  go  far  towards  our  National  betterment;  all  these  would 
not  be  enough.  Our  great  need  is  more  men;  men  who  are  of  more  value  than 
North  or  South;  men  who  are  of  more  value  than  this  whole  Nation;  men  who 
are  of  more  value  than  the  whole  world.  We  need  men  of  indomitable  courage ; 
men  of  great  energy  of  character;  men  of  tenacious  will,  so  that  when  they 
have  settled  upon  a  course  of  right  action,  they  will  pursue  this  course  to  the 
end,  with  an  utter  disregard  of  the  opinions  and  compromised  judgments  of 
all  other  men.  Give  us  men  who  shall  possess  a  burning  desire  to  labor  that 
all  other  men  shall  have  an  equal  chance,  and  a  fair  start  in  the  race  for  riches 
and  honor;  men  who  hold  the  outposts  of  human  thought,  and  who,  while 
living  and  when  dead,  leave  their  impress  on  the  form  and  the  body  of  these 
times.  May  we,  as  citizens  of  this  great  Commonwealth,  resolutely  seize 
the  sword  that  has  fallen  from  the  nerveless  grasp  of  our  dead  comrades,  rush 
into  the  stern  conflicts  of  the  hour,  and  assure  the  nations  of  the  earth,  that 
it  is  never  safe  to  do  wrong.  We  are  here  to-day,  experiencing  feelings  of 
mingled  sadness  and  joy  —  sadness  for  the  fallen  brave,  and  joy  for  the  triumph 
and  permanency  of  the  cause  of  freedom  and  our  nationality.  And  as  we 


444 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


stand  beside  these  monuments,  may  we  remember,  and  remembering  say,  "  we 
who  are  now  alive  are  placing  the  capstone  on  the  structure  whose  foundations 
were  laid  by  the  brave  men,  whose  bodies  are  mouldering  at  our  feet." 

We  would  not,  O  God,  forget  the  lone  widow  and  the  orphan  children  of 
our  dead  comrades.  May  their  hourly  pressing  needs  be  fully  met  by  a  gen 
erous  government,  whose  life  and  honor  were  saved  by  their  death.  May 
they  never  be  compelled  to  cry  for  bread.  May  their  sons  and  their  daughters, 
in  their  holy  pride,  heroically  unfurl  our  national  banner  to  the  breeze,  with 
the  inscription,  "  He  is  a  free  man,  whom  truth  makes  freer;  all  are  slaves 
besides,"  written  thereon. 

O,  Holy  Father  hear  us,  and  grant  us  Thy  favor,  through  the  name  of  Him 
who  has  taught  us  to  say:  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy 
name.  Thy  kingdom  come,  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  Give 
us  this  day  our  daily  bread,  and  forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive  them 
that  trespass  against  us.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  from 
evil,  for  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the  glory,  forever,  Amen. 


BATTLE  ODE. 
BY  COL.  JUAN  LEWIS. 

O  Gettysburg,  fair  Gettysburg! 
From  out  the  gloom  of  gathered  years, 
From  homes  of  peace  that  love  endears, 

With   shattered   ranks   we   come: 
Not  now  as  when,  a  hell  of  men 
And  blood  and  tears,  in  murderous  years, 

We  left  thee  silent,  dumb. 

O  Gettysburg,  stern  Gettysburg! 
Before  thy  storms  of  fire  and  death, 
And  leaden  hail,  and  cannon's  breath, 

We   were   not   dumb   that   day: 
For  freedom  spoke  in  battle  smoke, 
And  now,  in  peace  —  Christ's  blessed  Peace 

Pray  God  she  speaks  alway! 

O  Gettysburg,  loved  Gettysburg! 
Here  shall  thy  future  pilgrims  meet, 
With  clasping  hands  and  staying  feet, 

And  joy-songs  of  the  morn: 
For  not  in   vain,   this   battle  plain, 
If  War's  red  root  brings  Freedom's  fruit, 

To  freemen  yet  unborn. 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  445 

O  Gettysburg,   dear  Gettysburg! 
Yon  marble  lips  in  voiceless  speech, 
A  far  off  reverent  age  shall  reach, 

In  Wisdom's  nobler  plan: 
And  they  shall  kneel,  and  steadfast  feel 
The   Patriot's  hope  have  larger  scope; 

They,  too,  can  die  for  man. 

O  Gettysburg,   sad  Gettysburg! 
Thy  turf  is  billowed  o'er  with  graves 
Of  friend  and  foe,  alike  —  our  braves  — 

Out    hero-souls,   new-born: 
For  every  sheaf,  and  bud,  and  leaf, 
Proclaim  an  hour,  true  souls  shall  flower, 

This  resurrection  morn. 

O   Gettysburg    bright  Gettysburg! 
Thy  fire-scathed  hills  to-day  are  calm; 
The  lapsing  years  — Time's  healing  balm, 

Rest  lightly  on  thy  sod: 
Shine  out,  glad  sun,  where  valor  won, 
And  sound  o'er  all  Life's  bugle  call, 

Of  Love,  of  Home,  of  God. 


ORATION  OF  GEN.  HENRY  A.  EARNUM. 

Here  we  stood !  Here,  at  its  fullest  flood  we  met  and  pressed  back  the 
angry,  blood-flecked  tidal  wave  of  fratricidal  war,  whose  stubborn  resistance, 
in  God's  good  time,  settled  back  into  the  blessed  calm  of  National  peace. 

Later,  on  yonder  sacred  ground,  stood  he,  whose  simple  name  will  ever 
be  its  own  synonym  for  grandeur  of  moral  character  and  achievements  of  lasting 
deeds  of  good  for  his  people,  unsurpassed  in  all  the  ages  —  Abraham  Lincoln! 
Thus  spake  he: 

"  Fourscore  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers  brought  forth  upon  this  con 
tinent  a  new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty,  and  dedicated  to  the  proposition 
that  all  men  are  created  equal.  Now  we  are  engaged  in  a  great  civil  war,  test 
ing  whether  that  nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so  dedicated,  can  long 
endure.  We  are  met  on  a  great  battlefield  of  the  war.  We  are  met  to  dedi 
cate  a  portion  of  it  as  the  final  resting  place  of  those  who  here  gave  their  lives 
that  that  nation  might  live.  It  is  altogether  fitting  and  proper  that  we  should 
do  this: 

"  But  in  a  larger  sense  \ve  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  consecrate,  we  cannot 
hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living  and  dead,  who  struggled  here  have 
consecrated  it  far  above  our  power  to  add  or  detract.  The  world  will  little 
note  nor  long  remember  what  we  say  here,  but  it  can  never  forget  what  they 
did  here.  It  is  for  us  the  living,  rather,  to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished 


446  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

work  that  they  have  thus  far  so  nobly  carried  on.  It  is  rather  for  us  to  be 
here  dedicated  to  the  great  task  remaining  before  us,  that  from  these  honored 
dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to  the  cause  for  which  they  here  gave  the 
last  full  measure  of  devotion  —  that  we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall 
not  have  died  in  vain;  that  this  Nation  shall,  under  God,  have  a  new  birth 
of  freedom,  and  that  the  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the 
people,  shall  not  perish  from  the  earth." 

This  is  our  lyric  poem  of  American  loyalty  and  patriotism,  clothed  in 
matchless  prose,  and  should  be  repealed  on  all  simrlar  occasions  while  patriots 
live  to  salute  and  bear  aloft  the  starry  banner  of  free  America. 

This  were  enough;  yet,  you  would  longer  linger  with  the  theme.  This  place, 
these  days,  suggest  the  July  days  of  '63.  It  were  fitter  that  now,  as  then,  some 
great  civilian,  from  the  heights  of  his  own  patriotic  achievements,  might  recount 
the  valor  of  your  deeds,  here  and  elsewhere  done,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago; 
but  to  me  has  been  assigned  the  duty.  I  earnestly  wish  that  I  were  equal 
to  this  great  occasion. 

For  two  bloody  years  had  the  brave  sons  of  the  valorous  South  and  the 
brave  sons  of  the  unyielding  North  desperately  contended  for  supremacy.  In 
the  East  and  West  their  armies  had  swayed  backward  and  forward  in  alter 
nate  defeat  and  victory.  Westward  the  Union  armies  were  closing  in  upon 
the  Gibraltar  of  the  South,  and  the  echo  of  the  victory  of  Gettysburg  was  the 
glad  acclaim  that  greeted  the  fall  of  Vicksburg  and  the  bulletin  of  our  great 
captain,  that  once  again  the  Mississippi  flowed  unvexed  to  the  sea. 

And  what  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir 
ginia?  I  need  not  recount  the  details.  Suffice  that  history  has  already  recorded 
that  here  on  the  heights  of  Gettysburg  their  giant  struggle  reached  its  climax; 
and  this  victory  of  the  army  of  McClellan,  of  Burnside,  of  Hooker  and  of 
Meade  is  crowned  with  the  special  glory  that  in  the  army  of  Beauregard,  of 
Johnson  and  of  Lee  they  found  their  equals  in  desperate  valor  and  undaunted 
courage — 'AMERICANS  all  —  foes  then,  friends  now! 

Where  all  strove  so  grandly,  where  all  did  so  nobly,  it  would  be  invidious 
to  make  comparisons;  but  it  will  not  be  deemed  amiss  for  us  of  the  corps  of 
the  skillful  and  gallant  Slocum,  and  of  the  brigade  of  the  sturdy  and  immovable 
Greene,  to  here  repeat  the  recorded  fact  that  battle's  fitful  circumstance  gave 
the  Third  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Twelfth  Corps,  on  the  night  of  July  2(1, 
the  proud  but  costly  privilege  of  saving  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  from  dire 
disaster,  if  not  from  ignoble  defeat.  And  history  will  fail  of  truth  and  justice 
if  to  the  Sixtieth,  Seventy-eighth,  One  hundred  and  second,  One  hundred  and 
thirty-seventh  and  One  hundred  and  forty-ninth  New  York  Volunteers,  and 
its  gallant  commander,  Gen.  George  S.  Greene, —  to  the  first  soldier  of  all  New 
York's  more  than  400,000  volunteers,  Maj.  Gen.  Henry  W.  Slocum,  command 
ing  Twelfth  Corps,  who,  with  steady  nerve,  with  eagle  eye,  with  lion  heart, 
from  Powers  Hill,  just  over  there,  directed  our  movements, —  if  to  this  small 
body  of  veterans  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  is  not  given  the  grand  dis 
tinction  I  here  claim  for  it. 

This  brigade  arrived  on  this  field  on  the  afternoon  of  July  ist,  took  position 
in  front  of  Little  Round  Top,  and  advanced  skirmishers  to  the  Emmitsburg 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  447 

Road.  At  evening  it  picketed  this  front.  Early  in  the  morning  of  July  2d 
it  took  position  here  on  Gulp's  Hill,  built  these  works,  and  July  2d  and  3d, 
aided  by  gallant  reinforcements,  successfully  defended  them.  Time  will  not 
suffice  for  details  of  the  sanguinary  contests  here  fought.  This  was  the  key 
to  the  whole  battle  line.  That  it  was  stubbornly,  valiantly  held  against  repeated 
and  madly  desperate  assaults  of  vastly  superior  forces  is  all  that  need  now  be 
said;  unless  I  may  add  as  an  illustration,  that  in  this  front  and  mostly  in  front 
of  this  brigade,  nearly  1,400  of  the  enemy's  dead  were  found  at  the  close  of 
the  battle;  and  to  point  to  this  torn  and  broken  flag  (the  Gettysburg  flag  of 
the  One  hundred  and  forty-ninth  New  York  Volunteers),  whose  staff  was 
twice  shot  in  twain,  and  on  folds  and  staff  showed  the  marks  of  eighty  bullets. 
This  service  was  enough  for  renown,  but  their  glory  ended  not  here.  Trans 
ferred  soon  after  this  battle  to  the  vicinity  of  the  beleaguered  Army  of  the  Cum 
berland,  at  Chattanooga,  this  brigade  was  in  the  fore  of  the  wild  midnight  fight 
at  Wauhatchie,  Tennessee,  where  Longstreet's  veterans,  who  had  also  fought 
at  Gettysburg,  were  signally  defeated,  and  where  our  noble  commander,  General 
Greene,  was  severely  wounded;  it  climbed  the  bristling  heights  of  Lookout 
Mountain,  and  in  the  front  rank,  nearest  the  towering  palisades,  it  planted  its 
flag  in  victory  above  the  clouds,  and  crowned  with  immortal  and  poetic  fame, 
the  name  of  Fighting  Joe  Hooker. 

It  captured  more  than  half  of  all  the  flags  taken  in  the  battles  of  Lookout 
Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge,  and  Ringgold,  and  was  honored  by  our  hero,  Gen 
eral  Thomas,  by  the  selection  of  one  of  its  officers  to  convey  to  the  President 
at  Washington  all  the  flags  taken  by  all  our  forces  in  these  battles. 

When  Sherman,  with  his  mighty  battle-axe,  was  cleaving  the  Confederacy 
in  twain,  this  brigade  was  there;  it  led  our  armies  in  forcing  the  crossing  of 
the  stream  at  the  sanguinary  battle  of  Peach  Tree  Creek,  July  20,  1864;  it 
was  in  all  the  100  days  of  battle  from  Chattanooga  to  Atlanta,  and  among  the 
first,  under  General  Slocum,  then  commanding  our  Twentieth  Army  Corps, 
formed  of  the  consolidated  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Corps,  to  enter  that  Gate 
City  of  the  South ;  it  bore  its  dancing  banners  gaily  in  Sherman's  famous  march 
''  from  the  mountains  to  the  sea,"  and,  receiving  the  surrender  of  Savannah  ere 
daylight,  while,  save  the  sentries,  all  the  rest  of  those  armies  were  asleep,  it 
planted  its  banners  on  the  public  buildings,  just  as  the  sun  of  December  2ist 
rose  from  its  morning  bath  in  the  waters  of  the  blue  sea  at  our  feet. 

"  Proud,  proud  was  our  army  that  morning 
That  stood  where  the  pine  grandly  towers, 
When  Sherman  said,  '  Boys,  you  are  weary, 
This   day   fair    Savannah   is   ours;  ' 
Then   sang  we  a  song  for  our  chieftain, 
That  echoed  o'er  river  and  lea, 
And  the  stars  on  our  banners  shone  brighter 
For  Sherman  HAD  marched  to  the  Sea." 

Again  the  resistless  columns  move  in  the  campaign  of  the  Carolinas,  and 
with  them  this  brigade.  The  swamps  of  the  Coosawatchie,  Salkahatchie, 


448  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Edisto,  Congaree,  Wateree,  Pedee  and  Saluda,  deemed  impregnable  since 
Marion,  the  Swamp  Fox  of  the  Revolution,  made  them  historic,  scarcely  delay 
their  march;  before  their  majestic  power  Charleston,  the  cradle  of  secession, 
and  Columbia,  the  proud  capital  of  the  Palmetto  State,  bow  in  sudden  submis 
sion;  at  Averasboro  and  Bentonville  they  brush  away  the  foe;  at  Raleigh  they 
are  "in  at  the  death"  of  the  Rebellion;  and  soon  .he  veterans  of  this  brigade 
enter  Richmond  by  a  path  made  easy  by  their  old  comrades  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  and,  anon,  the  long,  swinging  strides  of  Sherman's  men,  up 
Pennsylvania  Avenue,  and  their  "  bronzed  and  bearded  features,"  set  with  reso 
lution  that  only  death  could  relax,  showed  to  the  assembled  representatives  of 
crowned  heads,  how  they  had  campaigned  across  half  a  continent. 

Our  tents  are  indeed  folded  and  our  weapons  are  rusting  in  these  halcyon 
days  of  peace;  but  he  is  none  the  less  the  good  citizen  who  recalls  for  personal 
gratification,  and  as  guides  to  present  duty,  the  days  of  the  bivouac  and  the 
charge,  whose  happy  issue  has  made  such  an  hour  as  this  possible.  A  happy 
hour  this!  The  interchange  oi:  greetings,  the  renewal  of  friendship,  the  new 
fidelity  to  the  Union,  evoked  by  backward  glances  at  the  struggle  which  has 
made  it  what  it  is;  the  resolution  always  to  be  true,  as  we  were  then  true,  to 
the  government  we  have  helped  to  perpetuate. 

One  sad  reflection  mars  our  festival  —  the  thought  that  so  many  who  were 
with  us  in  the  long  marches,  by  the  cheerful  camp-fire,  in  the  desperate  assault, 
cannot  be  with  us  here.  They  would  come  as  freely  at  the  call  of  friendship 
as  they  went  from  homes  of  comfort  at  the  call  of  duty.  But  the  cause  for 
which  they  fought  is  sanctified  in  their  deaths.  We  revere  their  memories. 
The  vacant  places  in  our  ranks  are  more  suggestive  than  the  presence  of  the 
living.  Call  the  roil  of  honored  dead!  Nay,  call  not  the  roll,  for  time  would 
not  suffice  to  repeat  the  names  of  all  who,  through  the  sacrifice  of  their  lives, 
preserved  the  charter  of  our  liberties.  These  monuments  are  fitting  tributes 
to  organizations  of  valiant  soldiers,  and  there  are  imposing  monuments  to 
officers  of  high  rank,  whose  marble  is  none  too  eloquent  in  their  praise.  There 
are  pages  of  our  history  which  tell  none  too  forcibly  their  achievements,  but 
there  are  also  simple  mounds  in  country  churchyards,  there  are  unknown 
graves  that  billow  Southern  fields,  inclosing  the  clay  of  heroes  to  whom  chilling 
circumstances  forbade  distinction,  who  are  as  worthy  of  our  remembrance  as 
the  gallant  slain,  whom  a  more  fortunate  fame  lifted  to  the  summit  of  a  deserv 
ing  popularity.  Call  not  the  roll!  Their  memory  is  in  our  keeping,  is  indeliblv 
engraved  upon  the  tab-lets  of  our  hearts.  They  need  no  proud  memorial  to 
symbol  their  devotion. 

"  Emblem  and  legend  may  fade  from  the  portal, 
Keystone  and  column  may  crumble  and  fall, 
THEY  were  the  builders  whose  work  is  immortal, 
Crowned  with  the  dome  that  is  over  us  all." 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  449 


GENERAL  LONGSTREET'S  REMARKS. 

Gen.  James  Longstreet,  of  the  Confederate  army,  was  present  and  made  a 
short  address.  His  appearance  was  greeted  by  the  veterans  with  cordial  and 
enthusiastic  demonstrations  of  applause. 

He  congratulated  the  old  soldiers  present,  and  said  he  was  glad  to  find  so 
many  of  them  alive  after  so  many  repeated  efforts  on  his  part  to  lessen  their 
number.  He  was  glad  to  meet  with  them,  and  spoke  in  glowing  terms  of  the 
prosperity  of  the  reunited  country. 

The  General  alluded  to  the  importance  of  the  position  on  Gulp's  Hill,  and 
conceded  to  Greene's  Brigade  the  credit  of  having  successfully  prevented  the 
Confederates  from  turning  General  Meade's  right  flank.  He  spoke  pleasantly 
of  General  Greene,  saying  that  he  knew  him  in  the  old  army  before  the  war, 
and  that  there  was  no  better  officer  in  either  army. 


450  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

DEDICATION   OF  MONUMENT. 
BOTH    REGIMENT   INFANTRY, 

July  2,    1888. 

HISTORICAL  SKETCH  BY  LIEUT.  EDWIN  A.  MERRITT. 

The  Second  Division  of  the  Twelfth  Corps  reached  the  vicinity  of  the 
Gettysburg  battlefield  at  about  4  p.  m.,  where  we  remained,  lying  upon  our 
arms,  until  6:30  a.  m.,  on  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  July,  when  we  took  up 
position  in  line  of  battle,  about  half  a  mile  to  the  right  of  Cemetery  Hill,  on 
Culp's  Hill,  the  Sixtieth  connecting  with  the  right  of  the  First  Corps,  where 
we  threw  up  intrenchments  connecting  with  the  One  hundred  and  second 
New  York  Volunteers  on  the  right. 

The  men  worked  with  a  will,  and  had  by  9  a.  m.  completed  a  breastwork, 
that  commanded  the  brow  of  Culp's  Hill,  which,  on  the  right,  extended  to  low 
ground.  We  were  now  about  one  mile  from  the  enemy's  front.  Our  men 
were  permitted  to  lie  quietly  behind  their  stacks  of  arms,  in  rear  of  the  work, 
until  4  p.  m.  At  this  time,  discovering  the  enemy  in  line,  supposed  to  be  about 
one  brigade  in  strength,  General  Geary,  commanding  the  division,  placed  five 
guns  in  position,  which  opened  on  the  Rebels,  and  drove  them  from  sight.  The 
fire,  however,  was  returned,  and  some  of  the  cannoneers  having  been  wounded 
were  replaced  by  men  from  the  Sixtieth  who  understood  artillery  practice. 
About  5  o'clock  all  was  quiet  on  that  part  of  the  line  and  remained  so  until  7 
o'clock,  when  the  Rebel  infantry  advanced  in  force.  Our  skirmishers,  falling 
back,  unmasked  our  line,  which  opened  upon  the  enemy  at  close  range  a  most 
destructive  fire  for  about  four  hours.  The  fire  of  the  enemy  being  somewhat 
slackened,  a  portion  of  the  regiment  was  ordered  forward. 

The  men  eagerly  leaped  the  works  and  surrounded  fifty-six  of  the  enemy, 
including  two  officers,  whom  they  brought  in  as  prisoners.  They  also  cap 
tured  a  brigade  battle-flag,  said  to  belong  to  Jones's  Brigade,  and  one  regi 
mental  banner,  which,  as  we  learned  from  one  of  our  prisoners,  was  a  present 
from  the  ladies  of  the  district  in  which  the  companies  were  organized.  Seven 
Rebel  officers  were  found  dead  on  the  ground  covered  by  the  colors  and 
guard.  The  capture  of  these  flags  and  prisoners  shows  how  desperate  a  defence 
cur  men  made.  The  effects  of  our  fire  was  so  terrible  that  the  flags  were  aban 
doned,  and  the  prisoners  were  afraid  to  either  advance  or  retreat.  The  color 
bearers  were  both  killed.  One  of  them  had  advanced  within  twenty  paces  of  our 
breastworks.  The  officers  and  men,  on  the  arrival  of  these  trophies,  were 
greatly  cheered  and  encouraged.  They  felt  as  though  they  had  done  a  good 
thing. 

The  ammunition  had  to  be  replenished  several  times,  which  was  promptly 
done.  The  regiment  was  not  entirely  out  of  ammunition  but  once.  On  the 
discovery  of  this  fact  Colonel  Godard  ordered  them  to  "  fix  bayonets,"  which 
they  did,  and  in  that  position  waited  until  they  were  again  supplied. 

Great  coolness  was  displayed  by  both  officers  and  men.  Our  loss,  during 
this  night's  action,  was  9  men  killed  and  16  wounded.  About  midnight 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  451 

the  firing  almost  ceased,  except  by  sharpshooters  and  skirmishers,  which 
was  kept  up  until  daylight,  when  we  were  enabled  to  discover  large  numbers 
of  the  Rebel  dead  within  fifty  feet  of  our  line.  The  regiment,  in  this  action, 
consisted  of  Colonel  Godard,  commanding  regiment,  Lieutenant  Nolan,  Acting 
Adjutant,  16  line  officers,  and  255  enlisted  men. 

Irregular  picket-firing  continued  until  4  a.  m.,  on  the  3d,  when  the  enemy 
again  advanced,  and  heavy  firing  opened  on  both  sides,  which  continued  until 
10  a.  m.,  the  enemy  being  steadily  held  in  check,  at  which  time  they  retired, 
leaving  only  sharpshooters,  who  kept  up  an  irregular  fire  during  the  day.  At 
2  p.  m.,  the  regiment  was  relieved  for  an  hour,  when  it  again  returned  to  the 
intrenchments,  and  remained  until  2  a.  m.,  July  4th.  During  the  battle  on  the 
3d  we  lost  2  enlisted  men  killed,  and  19  wounded,  and  2  officers  —  Lieutenant 
Stanley,  wounded  severely  in  the  head,  which  proved  fatal  on  the  /th  day  of 
July,  and  Lieutenant  B.  T.  Bordwell,  in  the  foot. 

The  Sixtieth,  it  will  be  observed,  was  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Twelfth 
Corps,  and  joined  the  right  of  the  First  Corps.  The  flags  were  properly 
inscribed  with  the  record  of  capture,  and  forwarded  to  headquarters. 

It  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  speak  of  the  operations  of  the  Third  Brigade, 
of  which  the  Sixtieth  formed  a  part,  commanded  by  Gen.  George  S.  Greene, 
and  the  honorable  part  it  performed  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  The  universal 
praise  awarded  it  is  justly  due.  The  credit  cannot  be  subdivided.  The  regi 
ments  comprising  it  were  the  Sixtieth,  Seventy-eighth,  One  hundred  and 
second,  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh,  and  the  One  hundred  and  forty- 
ninth  New  York  Volunteers,  containing  within  their  organizations  as  good 
and  brave  men  as  ever  the  Empire  State  sent  to  the  war.  This  brigade  was 
on  the  left  of  the  Twelfth  Corps.  The  Second  Brigade  of  the  Second  Division 
was  on  our  right.  Thrown  forward  at  a  right  angle,  on  the  crest  of  a  hill  in 
front,  was  a  heavy  growth  of  timber,  freed  from  undergrowth,  with  occasional 
ledges  of  rocks.  These  afforded  a  good  cover  for  marksmen.  The  first  duty, 
after  getting  into  position,  was  to  intrench,  which,  by  noon  on  the  2d,  was 
successfully  accomplished,  having  constructed  a  breastwork  of  such  material 
as  was  found  convenient,  of  earth,  stone,  and  logs.  This  work  subsequently 
proved  of  great  service,  as  by  its  assistance  a  vastly  superior  force  was  kept 
in  check.  At  about  6:30  p.  m.  the  Twelfth  Corps  was  withdrawn  from  the 
line  for  some  purpose,  and  General  Greene  directed  to  occupy  the  whole 
front  of  the  corps  with  the  Third  Brigade,  which  order  he  was  attempting  to 
carry  out,  and  had  placed  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh  New  York 
in  the  trenches  occupied  by  the  Second  Brigade,  when  the  whole  line  was 
attacked.  This  was  about  7  o'clock  p.  m. 

At  8  o'clock  the  enemy  succeeded  in  gaining  the  intrenchments  on  the  right, 
in  the  portion  of  the  line  formerly  occupied  by  the  First  (General  Williams's) 
Division,  which  was  nearly  perpendicular  to  the  line  of  the  Second  Brigade, 
now  occupied  by  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh.  The  enemy  attacked 
our  right  flank,  while  also  attacking  the  front.  This  necessitated  the  changing 
of  the  front  of  the  One  hundred  and  thirty-seventh,  which  was  successfully 
done  under  fire.  Four  separate  and  distinct  charges  were  made  on  our  line 
before  9:30  o'clock,  which  were  effectually  resisted.  The  situation  becoming 


45^ 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 


critical,  one  regiment  was  sent  to  its  support,  which  was  placed  on  our  right 
("  The  California  Regiment "),  but  was  soon  withdrawn,  leaving  the  right,  as 
before,  very  much  exposed.  Subsequently,  reinforcements  were  received  from 
General  Wadsworth's  Division  of  the  First  Corps,  and  from  the  Eleventh 
Corps  —  about  350  men  from  the  former,  and  400  from  the  latter  —  who  ren 
dered  important  aid,  relieving  the  men  so  that  they  could  clean  their  guns  and 
replenish  their  cartridge-boxes,  which  they  had  entirely  emptied  of  ammunition. 
At  the  close  of  the  attack  the  brigade  held  its  position. 

At  i  :3O  a.  m.,  on  the  3d,  the  right  was  reinforced  by  the  return  of  the  First 
Brigade  of  the  Second  Division,  who  took  position  in  support  of  the  right  of 
the  Third  Brigade.  Artillery  was  placed  in  position  to  attack  that  portion 
of  the  Rebel  forces  then  occupying  our  intrenchments  on  the  right;  and  at 
4  a.  m.,  opened  on  them,  and  the  attack  was  general  on  our  whole  line,  lasting 
until  10:30  o'clock,  when  the  enemy  was  driven  back,  all  retiring  except  their 
pickets.  During  this  attack  the  fire  was  kept  up  constantly  and  effectively 
along  the  whole  line.  The  enemy  having  been  early  driven  from  the  trenches, 
they  were  again  occupied  by  the  Second  Brigade,  and  the  First  Division. 

The  men  were  relieved  occasionally  by  others,  with  a  fresh  supply  of  ammu 
nition  and  clean  arms,  the  relief  going  forward  at  the  double-quick  with  cheers, 
and  the  troops  relieved  falling  back  through  their  files,  when  they  arrived  in 
the  trenches.  The  men,  by  this  means,  were  comparatively  fresh,  and  their 
arms  in  good  order. 

Capt.  A.  B.  Shipman  served  on  the  general's  staff  as  an  inspector  general, 
and  Lieut.  C.  T.  Greene  as  aide-de-camp.  The  brigade  contained  about  1,300 
men.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  greatly  exceeded  ours.  We  found  after  the 
action  in  our  front,  of  their  dead,  391,  and  there  were  across  the  creek  a  number 
of  dead,  estimated  at  150;  making  a  total  of  541.  We  picked  up  2,000  muskets, 
of  which  at  least  1,700  must  have  belonged  to  the  enemy,  showing  clearly  a 
loss  on  their  part  of  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  in  addition  to  those  who 
may  have  carried  their  arms  off  the  field,  estimated  at  500,  and,  including  130 
prisoners  captured,  of  2,400  men.  Their  loss  in  officers  was  heavy.  The  troops 
opposed  to  us  proved  to  be  Johnson's  Division  of  Ewell's  Corps,  in  the  night 
attack  of  the  2d;  and  the  same  division,  reinforced  by  Rodes's  Brigade,  on 
the  3d.  General  Johnson's  assistant  adjutant  general  was  killed,  and  left  on 
the  field. 

The  casualties  were  as  follows:  killed,  6  officers;  56  enlisted  men;  wounded, 
10  officers,  203  enlisted  men;  missing,  i  officer,  31  enlisted  men;  total,  17 
officers,  290  enlisted  men. 

The  Sixtieth  Regiment  was  organized  at  Ogdensburg  in  the  autumn  of  1861, 
and  started  for  the  seat  of  war  November  ist,  of  that  year.  It  was  stationed 
on  guard  along  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  during  the  following  winter. 
On  the  retreat  of  General  Banks'  army  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  it  was 
ordered  to  Harper's  Ferry,  and  thence  up  the  valley  to  Winchester.  It  was 
on  active  duty  at  the  front  again,  during  the  Second  Bull  Run  campaign,  under 
General  Pope.  It  participated  in  the  battle  of  Antietam,  where  Col.  William 
Goodrich  was  killed;  also  twenty-two  others,  killed  and  wounded.  The  regi 
ment  also  participated  in  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  in  which  q  were  killed, 


NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG.  453 

44  wounded,  and  8  were  missing.  At  Gettysburg,  II  were  killed  and  39 
wounded;  at  Lookout  Mountain,  37  were  killed  and  wounded  (the  Sixtieth 
capturing  one  cannon  and  battle  flag);  at  Ringgold,  4  were  killed  and  14 
wounded.  The  regiment  at  this  time  had  only  175  men  fit  for  duty. 

After  the  close  of  the  campaign  and  while  located  in  Lookout  Valley  it 
re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  regiment,  received  furlough,  and  returned  to  Ogdens- 
burg  as  a  regiment.  Returning  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  before  the 
opening  of  the  campaign  in  1864,  it  participated  subsequently  in  the  battles 
of  Resaca,  New  Hope  Church,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  and  the  movement  on 
Atlanta.  It  marched  with  Sherman  to  the  Sea,  and  northward  through  the 
Carolinas,  and  was  in  the  battle  at  Bentonville.  After  the  surrender  of  the 
Rebel  armies  under  Generals  Lee  and  Johnson,  the  Sixtieth  marched  with 
the  victorious  army  to  Washington",  and  was  in  the  Grand  Review  of  Sherman's 
army.  Soon  after  that  event  it  returned  to  Ogdensburg,  where  it  was  mustered 
out  of  service.  From  first  to  last  it  had  a  most  honorable  record. 


"  RUSSELL  ON  THE  GRASSE," 

BY  EDWARD  REYNOLDS.* 

A  soldier  of  the  Sixtieth    lay  dying  on  Gulp's  Hill: 
There  was  lack  of  tender  nursing,  there  was  dearth  of  surgeon's  skill; 
For  the  battle  hot  was  raging,  and  each  moment  added  one 
To  the  thousands  that  lay  dying  in  the  hot  midsummer's  sun. 
A  comrade,  fighting  near  him,  bent  to  hear  what  he  might  say  — 
To  receive  his  latest  message  to  the  dear  ones  far  away. 
The  dying  soldier  faltered:     "Ned,  I'll  never  more,  alas! 
See  my  home  and  friends  in  Russell— dear  old  'Russell  on  the  Grasse!' 

"  If  you're  among  the  lucky  ones  who,  when  the  war  is  o'er, 

Returning  home  in  triumph,  hear  the  'Hi^h  Falls'  greeting  roar, 

And  see  the  sister's  sunny  smile  and  mother's  gleam  of  joy, 

When  the  one  beholds  her  brother,  and  the  other  clasps  her  boy; 

If,  with  trembling  voice  a  maiden  asks  about  her  brother  '  Will,' 

You  can  tell  her  that  you  saw  him  fall  on  Gulp's  foe-girded  Hill. 

And  tell  her,  too  —  'twill  soothe  her  grief — how  traitors  fled  en  masse, 

When  they  met  with  men  from  Russell  and  the  towns  along  the  Grasse. 

*Of  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry.  Comrade  Reynolds  served  at  Gettysburg  as 
mounted  orderly  for  General  Slocum,  and  in  the  course  of  his  duties  was  on  Gulp's 
Hill,  where  a  friend  of  his  boyhood,  Sergt.  William  W.  Clark,  of  the  Sixtieth  New 
York,  lay  mortally  wounded.  This  poem,  like  "  Bin  gen  on  the  Rhine,"  contains  the 
message  of  a  wounded  soldier. 

The  Sixtieth  New  York  was  a  St.  Lawrence  County  regiment,  many  of  the  men 
having  enlisted  from  the  town  of  Russell  on  the  Grasse  River.  The  author,  also,  came 
from  Russell  on  the  Grasse. 


454  NEW  YORK  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

"  Tell  my  brothers  when  they  gather  round,  the  story  of  to-day  — 
How  gallant  Greene's  'New  York  Brigade '  held  Ewell's  hosts  at  bay, 
And  tell  them  that  'twas  at  the  point  where  foemen  turned  and  fled 
That  their  brother  '  Bill '  was  found,  among  a  score  of  Rebel  dead. 
Tell  my  sister  not  to  weep  for  me,  nor  grieve  that  o'er  my  tomb 
No  roses  planted  by  her  hand,  nor  violets  may  bloom; 
And  tell  her  if  she's  true  and  good  her  soul  at  death  shall  pass 
To  a  happier  home  than  Russell  —  happy  '  Russell  on  the  Grasse.' 

"There's  another  —  not  a  sister  —  you  will  know  her  when  she  speaks 
By  the  music  in  her  voice  and  by  the  roses  or.  her  cheeks  — 
But  no  —  her  voice  will  lose  its  ring,  the  roses  take  to  flight, 
When  she  reads  my  name  to-morrow  in  the  death-roll  of  the  fight. 
Last  night,  in  dream,  I  stood  within  a  church,  and  by  my  side, 
Her  hand  confidingly  in  mine,  she  stood  my  queenly  bride: 
A  happy  dream!  but  oh!  'twill  never,  never  come  to  pass! 
We  shall  meet  no  more  in  Russell  —  peaceful  '  Russell  on  the  Grasse.' 

"  In  coming  years,  when  you  relate  the  story  of  '  the  war,' — 
Of  the  days  when  '  millions  marched  to  beat  of  drum  and  cannon's  jar,'— 
You  can  truly  say  the  sons  of  old  St.  Lawrence  were  as  bold 
As  the  boldest  of  their  comrades  —  brave  as  bravest  knights  of  old. 
And  of  all  the  gallant  regiments  that  faced  the  '  fire  of  death.' 
None  faced  it  with  a  firmer  front  than  did  the  Sixtieth; 
And,  'mid  the  bravest  of  the  brave,  were  none  who  could  surpass 
In  courage  men  from  Russell  —  loyal  '  Russell  on  the  Grasse.'  " 

He  paused  —  the  comrade  lower  bent  to  hear  his  latest  word; 

The  swelling  roar  of  battle  was  the  only  sound  he  heard; 

The  wounded  heart  had  ceased  to  beat,  the  spark  of  life  had  fled; 

Another  happy  home  was  filled  with  sorrow  for  the   dead; 

One  more  recruit  was  mustered  in  to  swell  the  length'ning  train, 

Of  "  troops  en  route  from  Gettysburg  to  Heaven's  peaceful  plain." 

And  none  who  knew  him  doubts  that  good  St.  Peter  let  him  pass ; 

And  showed  him  where  the  boys  were  camped  from  "  Russell  on  the  Grasse." 


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